10 Times Musicians Owned Interviewers

Despite Jimi Hendrix's on stage showmanship, he was ever the humble man when it came to doing interviews. Displayed perfectly here when he appeared on The Dick Cavett Show in 1969.

The majority of the interview was cordial enough, and it's clear Cavett had a respect and admiration for the Voodoo Child singer, however at one point the famous incident of Hendrix performing the Star Spangled Banner was brought up. When Cavett reminded his audience that Hendrix had been a member of the US Airborne, before they write their "nasty letters", Hendrix interjects, apparently perplexed at the notion of hate mail.

Cavett then comments on the unorthodox nature of his rendition of the American national anthem, alluding to the possibility that it may have caused offence to certain patriotic Americans, and everyone knows you don't mess with patriots... Well Hendrix had only one responce to that, "I thought it was beautiful" he said, before flipping the peace sign and receiving applause from the crowd.

His disarming charm and humble persona diffused what might have been a tense interview, other musicians that spring to mind, might not have handled the situation in such a graceful way... But Hendrix was always the gentlemen it would seem.