Some of the key players from this month's upcoming Experience Hendrix Tour are going to preview their Jimi Hendrix-style version of "All Along The Watchtower" on Lopez Tonight, tonight May 9th. "G.Lo" welcomes Jonny Lang, Aerosmith's Brad Whitford, Chris Layton of Stevie Ray Vaughan's Double Trouble, Mato Nanji of Indigenous and Sacred Steel's Chuck Campbell to his TBS talker that airs at 12 midnight/11 PM Central.
Check out a performance from an all-star group that could have only come together to celebrate the legacy of Jimi Hendrix.
Here is the official word on the tour: The 2011 edition of the Experience Hendrix concert tour, presented by Fender guitars, launches a limited run of dates starting May 20th with an all-star lineup of musical greats paying homage to the abiding genius of Jimi Hendrix. This year's tour will include performances by Billy Cox, Steve Vai, Robert Randolph, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, David Hidalgo & Cesar Rosas [Los Lobos], Keb' Mo, Eric Johnson, North Mississippi All Stars, Brad Whitford [Aerosmith], Living Colour, Ernie Isley, Chris Layton [Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble], Indigenous and many additional special guests to be announced.
In terms of format, the tour offers multiple opportunities for performers and audiences to witness unique collaborations such as Steve Vai performing with Living Colour, as well as the tour's artists performing their favorite Hendrix signature songs including "Little Wing," "Fire," "Purple Haze," "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)," "Crosstown Traffic" and many others. As has been the case with previous Experience Hendrix outings, special guests are expected to sit in at many of the dates, making the concerts all that much more memorable for both new and veteran Hendrix fans. Past special guests have included Paul Rodgers, Joe Satriani, Hubert Sumlin, Buddy Guy, Carlos Santana, Robby Krieger and others. The tour's presence has been made known on national TV with Robert Randolph performing classic Hendrix on the Late Night With Conan O'brien, and Jonny Lang on Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Tonight Show and Kenny Wayne Shepherd playing Jimi Hendrix's actual Woodstock guitar on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Shepherd, a veteran of several Experience Hendrix tours remarked, "Jimi Hendrix's music has really inspired me to push the limits of my own music. He didn't observe any boundaries musically. He was an amazing player and a tremendous showman so I incorporated some of his showmanship in what I do." As far as having been part of the Experience Hendrix touring phenomenon, Shepherd noted, "It touches you on the inside and gets you fired up."
May 20 - Las Vegas, NV — Hilton Theatre, Las Vegas Hilton
May 21 - Dana Point, CA — Doheny Blues Festival
May 23 - Mesa, AZ — Mesa Arts Center
May 24 - Tucson, AZ — AVA Amphitheatre, Casino del Sol
May 26 - Santa Rosa, CA — Wells Fargo Performing Arts Center
May 27 - Reno, NV — Grand Theatre, Grand Sierra Resort & Casino
May 28 - Santa Cruz, CA — Santa Cruz Blues Festival
May 29 - Avila Beach, CA — Avila Beach Blues Festival