How History Unfolds on Paper: Important Americana from the Eric C. Caren Collection, Part X

London: Harold Davison Agency Ltd, December 5, 1966. Unsigned carbon of a contract between manager Philip Haywood and Chas Chandler for "The Jimmy Hendrix Experience", for a show at the Ricky Tick Club in Windsor, Berkshire, England, on December 23, 1966. Creasing from old folds; stain in bottom left corner; small holes in top left corner from removed staple. 13 x 8 in. (330 x 203 mm).

A very early and scarce carbon of a concert contract for The Jimi Hendrix Experience, for a two-set show at the Ricky Tick night club in Hounslow, England, on December 23, 1966.

By May of 1966, Hendrix had been playing circuit gigs in America for months, earning scant attention and struggling to earn a living. That summer his luck began to change. When playing with Curtis Knight and the Squires at New York’s Cheetah Club, his playing caught the attention of Linda Keith, then girlfriend of the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards. They became quick friends, and Linda soon referred Hendrix to Chas Chandler, bassist for The Animals who was looking to transition to managing artists. During his final tour with The Animals, Chandler saw Hendrix play at Cafe Wha? Nightclub in Greenwich Village, and mesmerized by his performance of “Hey Joe”, invited Hendrix to London and signed him to a management contract.

By the early fall they began to search for members to fill out a band, and quickly recruited guitarist Noel Redding on bass, and Mitch Mitchell on drums. By mid-October Chandler arranged for the band, now called The Jimi Hendrix Experience, to support French star Johnny Hallyday for a brief tour of France. They played their first-ever live show on October 13 at the Novelty, in Evreux. Shows in Germany and England followed through the fall and winter. Their first single, “Hey Joe” backed by “Stone Free”, was released on December 16, less than two weeks after this contract. Television performances followed, and their single entered the UK charts on December 29 and peaked at #6. It was the beginning of an arc that would catapult the group to the forefront of Rock and Roll, and immortalize Hendrix as one of the greatest guitarists of all time.