Jimi Hendrix, the most famous resident of Greenwood Memorial Park and Cemetery in Renton, WA, has been resting under a simple tombstone since he OD'd on heroin in 1970. That is changing.

The rock star's remains were secretly moved to a new grave on November 26, 2002, the day before what would have been his 60th birthday. On top of this new grave will be a life-size bronze sculpture of Hendrix, currently being cast in Italy. Sheltering it will be a 30-foot-high granite dome supported by three pearl-gray granite columns trimmed in "rainbow" marble. The memorial will be on a circular drive in the southwest corner of the cemetery.

Although construction of the lavish new tomb -- reportedly costing a half-million dollars -- began four years ago, it was delayed when plans were revealed that would have allowed fans to buy granite bricks and time capsules at the site. The proposed "purple fountain" has disappeared from the plan. Creation of the memorial wasn't even started until Jimi's father, Al Hendrix, became seriously ill. Al has since passed away and will be buried next to Jimi, under the dome, as will Al's wife and mother. Jimi's mom is somewhere else, apparently not invited.

This new memorial will likely become the primary attraction in a Jimi Tour that includes the bronze statue on Capitol Hill near downtown Seattle and the Hendrix Memorial "Hot Rock" at Woodland Park Zoo.

All are not pleased by the Memorial plan. Jimi's younger brother, Leon, for example, had sued his father for a share of the Hendrix estate, and wasn't even told that Jimi's body had been dug up. Odds are that he won't be invited into the new grave, either. [02/15/2003]

November 26, 2009