Now, on the occaison of the release of a new Hendrix Album (Valleys of Neptune) I have managed to track down Jimi's (then James Marshall) Fourth Grade teacher form his days at Low Mountain Public School in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The following is an interview conducted through coorespondence between myself and Miss Kimberly Whithers, now 85 and living in a retirement home in Abbotsford, B.C.
I have reconstructed as much as I could from the fire.
Terrance Balazo: It is a pleasure to speak with you Miss Whithers.
Kimberly Whithers: O.K.
T.B.: It must have been exciting having a future legand of music in your grade four class?
K.W.: Maybe. All I can remember is a lot of loud children. My class was decorated with purple wall paper and everything seemed to bleed together. It is all a purple haze*.
T.B.: Very good. Did Jimi show any special abilities as a child?
K.W.: Huh? Oh, I see. Yes. She used to stand up in class and repeat whatever the janitor had said to her earlier.
T.B.: What was Jimi's favourite subject in school?
K.W: I believe he enjoyed playing. I remember after a particularly cold lunch break, all the children, upon returning to their stools, were freezing and a small coloured man came up and asked me if he could stand next my fire*. We all laughed, of course, as the building had little to no coal.
T.B.: Fascinating. Now, when did you and the other teachers realize that a young Jimi Hendrix had potential as a musician?
K.W.: One time a few of the boys, the band of gypsies* we called them, began hitting their desks with rulers. It was godaweful to hear. All that noise. The only music I ever enjoyed came from a broken can I had n a window.
T.B.: Did Jimi ever come back to visit after he achieved fame?
K.W.: One time I recall a large man walking by. At that time the area I lived n was known as the Watchtower. We would always see people walking all along the watchtower*. Including a sad lady who would sit on the ground and just watch all the crosstown traffic* pass by. August is a good month.
T.B.: What is your favourite Jimi Hendrix song of all time?
K.W.: Unbelieveable by EMF
T.B.: Excellent. What advice would you have for aspiring musicians in grade four?
K.W.: Hmm. Never stop breathing. If you do, ain't nothing gonna happen. Also, a good stepping stone* is to hum every song you have seen. This will help.
T.B.: Well Miss Whithers, thank you so much for your time and for being so candid about Jimi Hendrix.
K.W.: O.k. as my grandmother told my sister "hey Joe, get up from the skies*, be a foxy lady* and burn the midnight lamp*". Good night sir.
* upon completion of the interview, I learned that Miss Whithers was unaware of Jimi Hendrix and had no knowledge of any of his songs.
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