During a short but spectacular public career, Hendrix changed the way the guitar is played through his innovative techniques and creative use of controlled distortion. He also altered the course of rock history by using the recording studio as an extension of the compositional process. Hendrix was born in Seattle on . A self-taught guitarist, Hendrix learned by listening to recordings—especially those of blues greats such as Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. In high school, he played...