Greenwich Village block co-named for Jimi Hendrix
Credit: Gerardo Romo / NYC Council Media Unit on Flickr
A block in Greenwich Village has been co-named in honor of legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix, paying tribute to the street where he built the historic Electric Lady Studios. After a major snowstorm forced the ceremony in February to be rescheduled, part of West 8th Street was officially co-named “Jimi Hendrix Way” on Wednesday, marking the culmination of a decades-long effort by family members and supporters. The honor recognizes Hendrix’s connection to Electric Lady Studios, which he commissioned in 1968 and opened in 1970, just months before his death at age 27, and which remains one of the most influential recording studios in the world.
The co-naming was spearheaded by Council Member Harvey Epstein, Experience Hendrix, L.L.C.—the Hendrix family-owned company led by Jimi Hendrix’s sister, Janie Hendrix—and guitarist and writer Jeff Slate. Other attendees included Eddie Kramer, Hendrix’s engineer and producer; Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid; and songwriter Valerie Simpson.
Hendrix commissioned Electric Lady Studios so he and his collaborators would not have to pay hourly rates for recording time and could work without time restrictions. However, as is natural in the life of a touring musician, Hendrix spent a lot of time away, requiring the studio to be rented out “so the mortgage could be paid,” Janie Hendrix told the New York Times.
After Hendrix’s untimely death, his estate sold the studio in 1977, according to the Wall Street Journal. It went on to host many of the era’s biggest artists, including Stevie Wonder, who recorded much of his “classic period” albums there, as well as Led Zeppelin and Carly Simon.
In the early 2000s, the studio faced financial difficulties and nearly closed before changing ownership in 2005 and undergoing a major modernization. It has since re-emerged as one of the world’s most sought-after recording studios, used by artists including Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo.
According to Janie Hendrix, the effort to co-name the street has been years in the making. She told the Times that her family began working towards recognizing the artist “soon after Jimi passed away.”
She also said that Electric Lady Studios once displayed a petition urging supporters to “Name this street after Jimi,” but it seemed to “go nowhere.” Advocates also tried to get Jimi’s face on a stamp, which was ultimately issued in 2014.
Temporary co-naming signage was installed in 2024, but “political changes” delayed the process of making the designation permanent, according to Noise 11.
“We are proud to honor the legacy of Jimi Hendrix today,” Epstein said. “Our district has long been a hub of culture, the arts, and activism, and Jimi Hendrix embodied all of those ideals. He was not only a groundbreaking musician but also a powerful voice for peace, racial equity, and social justice.”
Epstein added: “He revolutionized music in this neighborhood, and it is only fitting that these streets now carry his name.”
The event also marked the public launch of TeachRock, a new national education partnership founded by Stevie Van Zandt, known as a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band and his role as Silvio Dante on “The Sopranos.”
Van Zandt recorded the anti-apartheid benefit single “Sun City” at Electric Lady Studios in the 1980s, featuring artists including Springsteen, Bono, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Lou Reed, Keith Richards, and Run-DMC, according to the Times.
TeachRock is expanding its library of more than 500 free, standards-aligned lessons that use music and pop culture to teach history, social studies, language arts, and other subjects. The partnership also includes a new multimedia Hendrix curriculum for middle and high school students.
“Jimi Hendrix didn’t just play guitar, he reimagined what art could be,” Van Zandt said. “With TeachRock, we want students to experience that same sense of possibility and discovery that so many of us felt the first time we heard Jimi. His story, lyrics, and sound remind young people that creativity has no limits.”
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