Estate Battle for Hendrix Family Almost as Legendary as His Music

A telling conversation between a reporter and Jimi Hendrix’s father twenty years ago as they stood by the graveside, gives insight into why the family feud has been going on for so long: it’s about the money.

Jimi Hendrix died in 1970 at the tender age of 27, but death has not stopped his earnings power. Hendrix, who would be 75 if he was still alive, earned more than $6.6 million last year. A recent article in The Express, “Jimi Hendrix: Family feud over guitar legend’s £130million estate,” reports that his estate, worth $175 million, has been embroiled in a feud with his brother Leon, who has three court cases currently awaiting trial.

Jimi’s estate is run by his adopted stepsister Janie.

Leon saw his brother’s formative years. Jimi’s first instrument was a ukulele from a garage sale.

He’s has felt plagued by conspiracies, since being cut out of his father’s will, which he’s contested.

Jimi died with no will and his then $66 million estate was inherited by his father Al. He drafted his own will, dividing the estate between his children and grandchildren. Leon claims that his dad was going to leave him $25 million in a trust fund, but in his final years Leon said his dad signed papers to cut him out of the will. When Al died in 2002, he left one gold record to Leon, while control of the Hendrix estate and its fortune went to Janie.

Leon sued to have his father’s original will reinstated, claiming that Janie had exerted undue influence on him.  However, she argued that Leon had been stripped of his inheritance because of his problems with drink, drugs, and crime. A court judge upheld Janie’s control of the estate in 2004, but three years later, Leon won a lawsuit giving him rights to Jimi’s likeness and image. When Leon produced Hendrix vodka, liquor, T-shirts and hi-fi speakers, she sued to stop him.

Despite the court’s decision, his sister is suing him for using the Hendrix name on cannabis, electronic goods and alcohol products. She’s even suing him to stop him from including a song on his new album that sounds like Foxy Lady, one of Jimi’s signature songs.

Reference: The Express (November 25, 2017) “Jimi Hendrix: Family feud over guitar legend’s £130million estate”