Jimi Hendrix Experience – Billy Cox and the Band Of Gypsies (USA)

If you want the most raw and special Jimi Hendrix Experience, Billy Cox is your guy to make that happen.

Billy was originally known for playing the Bass for Jimi Hendrix. These guys were not only band mates who played Glastonbury together during Jimi’s life, But Billy is now the one keeping him alive after life.

In 1969 Hendrix created the live album ‘Band Of Gypsies‘ with Bass player, Billy Cox and drummer Buddy Miles. Cox went on to continue recording and touring with Hendrix and Mitch Mitchell. They had such huge success on ‘The Cry Of Love Tour’ that promotors billed them as  ” The Jimi Hendrix Experience“.

Cox never ceased to stop being in the Music Industry with his own bands and projects after the tragic death of Jimi. Throughout the ’70s and ’80s, Cox would continue to be a part of Jimi’s music. Billy thrived on giving his fans The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Posthumous releases continued to pour out by him. Billy was playing with Hendrix Tribute Outfits such as ‘The Gypsy Sun Experience‘ .

Later in 2004, Buddy Miles reunited yet again with Cox of the Band of Gypsys.  They re-record songs from the original live album of 1970 with guitarists Eric Gales, Kenny Olsen, Sheldon Reynolds, Andy Aledort and Gary Serkin. The album was titled ‘The Band Of Gypsys Return‘ and was released in 2006.

As of November 12, 2008, Billy Cox is the only surviving member of both The Jimi Hendrix Experience and the Band Of Gypsys. Billy still continues to tour the world with ‘The Experience Hendrix Tour”

“In ‘Earth Blues’…Billy Cox’s bass lines have the feel of Charlie Mingus playing bottom runs in his ‘Fables of Faubus.’ Billy Cox has arrived within Jimi’s music. Billy Cox is terse and tough. He covers the bottom without any yearnings for the top. He has an understated funk groove that is so subtle that even when he gets into off-tonalities it all flows in a fluid groove. He can rev and snarl, strut and talk, and never blow the groove. His steady jazzlike presence fuses the wide range of tonals on the bottom shelf together. And that was just what Jimi wanted so he could have complete freedom on top: a steady and consistent, yet creative, bottom presence.”          From the book: “SCUSE ME WHILE I KISS THE SKY”  By David Henderson.