James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born in November 27, 1942) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, inspired musically by American rock and roll and electric blues, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music, and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as "arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music".