What began as a dream for Greenwich Village Hendrix fans is about to become reality. 8th Street, once home to Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studios, is set to be officially co-named “Jimi Hendrix Way” on Feb. 24.
In collaboration with musician Stevie Van Zandt’s TeachRock, a nonprofit focused on educational attainment through rock ’n’ roll, the co-naming will recognize New York’s rich cultural heritage and promote education for young people through music and pop culture.
8th Street has deep historical ties to the late psychedelic rock legend Jimi Hendrix.
Hendrix purchased the Generation Club on 8th Street in 1968, with the goal of establishing a home base for Electric Lady Studios. The studio, designed by visionary architect John Storyk, featured round windows, psychedelic murals, and as few right angles as possible. The project was completed in 1970, and Hendrix recorded just one song there before departing for the U.K., where he tragically died of a barbiturate overdose.
In 2017, a group of Greenwich Village residents banded together to protect their neighborhood from gentrification and unite around Hendrix’s legacy.
“We want to bring that magic back,” local entrepreneur Richard Geist said in a 2017 interview with Grammy Reporter.
Residents launched a petition, organized the community, and pushed to have the co-naming brought before the City Council for a vote. In New York City, street co-naming is common practice, requiring a proposal, a hearing and a majority vote. Despite momentum, including coverage in The New York Times, the project remained stalled.
Nearly a decade later, the vote passed with the endorsement of District 2 Council Member Harvey Epstein, Hendrix Experience LLC and Stevie Van Zandt’s TeachRock. Partnering with TeachRock, the collaborators created a new lesson plan on Hendrix’s legacy and influences. The lesson plan will be released free to students alongside the renaming ceremony.
“I’m proud to honor the legacy of Jimi Hendrix today,” Epstein said. “Our district is a hub of culture, arts and activism, and Jimi Hendrix embodies this. Not only was he a legendary musician, but he was also a fierce advocate for peace, racial equity and social justice. He revolutionized music just steps away from where we are today, and it is only fitting that these streets now carry his name.”
The Feb. 24 renaming ceremony will feature Epstein, Van Zandt and Hendrix’s sister, Janie Hendrix. All New Yorkers and Hendrix fans are welcome.
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