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The capacity crowd was held spellbound by a haunting acoustic performance by David “Honeyboy” Edwards—a friend of the great Robert Johnson, and one of the last few original Delta blues pioneers. Honeyboy was followed by Rocky Lawrence, who also delivered a powerful acoustic set. The performances were moving reminders that, underneath the psychedelic trappings and acid-soaked guitar pyrotechnics, Hendrix was in his heart a blues guitarist.

To showcase the incredible electric heights to which Jimi took the blues, the great Johnny Winter strapped on his battered Firebird and his brass slide. Winter’s screaming slide guitar and lightning-fast licks proved just how much can be done with the music, and how much Jimi contributed to the art and styling of the electric guitar. The night was highlighted by moving tributes to Jimi from his brother Leon, and from his musical brother and close friend, rock and soul legend Buddy Miles, the drummer for The Band of Gypsies along with his band leader Mark Leach, also leader of The United States Allstars. Jose' Feliciano and Electric Flag bassist Harvey Brooks joined Miles and Leach to sweeten the musical pot.

It was an incredible night, and a bittersweet reminder of how much Jimi gave to the world in such a short time, and how much more he could have given if he hadn’t died so tragically young.