In the late afternoon of September 17th 1970, Eric Clapton was walking around London’s West End and dropped by the Orange Shop. That evening he was going to a Sly and The Family Stone concert at the Lyceum on the Strand, where he had arranged to meet up with Jimi Hendrix. The next day – September 18th – the music world was stunned by the news that Jimi Hendrix had been found dead in a West London basement flat.
Delaney Bramlett with Eric Clapton – ‘Delaney & Bonnie and Friends’ UK tour 1969
“The night that Jimi died, I was supposed to meet him at the Lyceum to see Sly Stone play. And I brought with me a left-handed Stratocaster. I’d just found it – I think I bought it at Orange Music. I’d never seen one before and I was going to give it to him. The next day – whack – he was gone and I was left with that left-handed Stratocaster.” Extract from a 1970s television interview with Eric Clapton.
Jimi Hendrix’s last concert. Sept 6th 1970. Isle of Fehmarn, Germany
Lefty Strat
Did this guitar end up being played by someone on a regular basis, or did Eric Clapton keep it as a memento?
I know Of this story, Jimi’s murder always deeply disturbed me. Love Orange / always have, a few years back i Spent a few months attempting to get a return call from whomever was in charge of endorsement. Never happened, Affected me … and then … Bogner called and sent me a pieced
Must have really ‘Bugged’ Eric enough to see Jimi playing a RH Strat played upside down, enough for him to go shopping and spend the what $350.00 for a Strat at the time.