Billy Gibbons, guitarist for ZZ Top, recently spoke with The Hudson Independent about his career. The guitarist remembered his younger days and how he ‘provoked’ Jimi Hendrix at one point during the discussion. Gibbons referenced The Moving Sidewalks, a band he created as a teenager before founding ZZ Top. With their singles, the band had a great career, which led to tours with The Doors, Jeff Beck, and Jimi Hendrix. On their tour, Gibbons became friends with Hendrix, but their friendship was short-lived owing to Hendrix’s death at a young age. The guitarist remembered his pal and described how he behaved on stage: “Jimi was warm and friendly, but also shy.” When he got on stage, he was like a man possessed. He took us under his ‘not so little wing’ after we met him on the Experience tour.
” After the show, they became buddies, according to the guitarist: “When we exited the stage, he was giggling with his arms folded and saying, ‘You got a lot of nerve…'” I’d like to get to know you.’ And he did so since we were friends to the end of his tragically brief life.” The two became friends after their tour, and Gibbons was revealed to be Hendrix’s favorite guitarist. When a reporter inquired about it, Gibbons recalled the incident and professed his admiration for Hendrix, stating they had happy recollections. ZZ Top covered a few Hendrix songs, notably ‘Foxey Lady,’ which Hendrix taught the ZZ Top guitarist. Similarly, they recorded ‘Little Miss Lover,’ which Gibbons described as either a drummer’s delight or a drummer’s nightmare. See ‘Foxey Lady’ for further information.
