Jimi Hendrix Wore A Coat of Many Colors

Guitarist, singer and songwriter Jimi Hendrix is most known as one of the greatest electric guitarists in the history of rock 'n' roll. What he's not as well known for is his Native American heritage.

The musician's grandmother was Cherokee, a heritage Hendrix's family has continued to celebrate.

And now, during the 40th anniversary of Hendrix's death, it's a heritage visitors to the National Museum of the American Indian can celebrate too, thanks to Hendrix's family, who yesterday sent a number of the star's belongings to the museum on a long-term loan.

Among the items that arrived, delivered by Hendrix's sister Janie, are a multicolored, patchwork full-length leather coat, worn and creased at the elbows (left); a leather necklace and  pouch; and reproductions of some of his guitars, including a reproduction of the Gibson Flying V guitar and the Fender Stratocaster guitar, which he played at the Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967.

The coat, which has never been been shown before its arrival at the museum,will be  the centerpiece of the museum's upcoming exhibit,“Up Where We Belong: Native Musicians in Popular Culture,” which opens July 1. The exhibit will highlight items belonging to Native American musician's from the past century as a way to explore the contributions they've made to music over the past century.

Now that the exhibit will bring a little Hendrix to The Mall, we can let the good times roll.

Erica R. Hendry | | READ MORE

Erica R. Hendry is the innovations reporter/producer for Smithsonian.com