March 9, 2007 10:00

Rare Jimi Hendrix artwork found

Former roadie reveals paintings

Rare paintings by Jimi Hendrix have been found by former roadie James ‘Tappy’ Wright.

Wright was part of the London team who managed the guitarist in the UK and toured with him. He obtained the paintings in 1979.

Recalling how he got the paintings Wright explained: “Jimi would do two things when he was travelling around. He would either write songs or draw and paint. Most of the drawings he would just crumple up and throw away.

“I remember saying to him: ‘don’t throw them away, give them to me'. It didn’t seem like a big deal at the time, to be honest. I’ve only just found them again. I had them folded up and stashed away in a brown envelope somewhere.”

Wright has lent the pictures to Maurice Sutherst who has put them on display at the music shop Making Music in North Shields. They will be displayed there for the next two months.

About 20 Hendrix paintings are known to exist. The star's US manager Bob Levine, who sold 18 of them to a private collector for £4,146 ($8000) each.

Wright said he would consider selling the paintings.

“I’d be more worried about where they were going," he said. "I’d be happy if they were going to someone who was going to take care of them.”

He told The Newcastle Chronicle that he would be releasing a book, ’Rock Roadie’, about his time with Hendrix later this year.