On This Day in 1965: Jimi Hendrix Signed His First Record Deal and Had The Court Fees to Prove It

It’s both a rumor and a truth that musicians and business don’t mix well. There have been countless times when this notion has proven to be true and countless other times where it hasn’t. The bottom line is that some musicians aren’t the most business-savvy people, but that’s what managers, lawyers, and executives are for. Until of course, they take advantage of their clients, which is exactly what happened to Jimi Hendrix when he signed his first-ever contract.

Even though Hendrix’s music career was tragically cut short, the music he produced in those three years remains relevant. So, they also remain lucrative. That being so, it seems the crafter of Hendrix’s original contract knew this fact and exploited him because of it. In essence, the tale of Hendrix’s first contract signing is one as old as time. Nonetheless, it makes his early demise all the more climatic.

Jimi Hendrix & Ed Chalpin

On October 15, 1965, Jimi Hendrix signed a contract that would not only make him a musician for a living but also make him a criminally underpaid one at that. On this day Hendrix signed a contract with Ed Chalpin of PPX. How Hendrix was wronged derives from Chalpin’s lack of communication and a lack of thorough reading on Hendrix’s part.

That said, when Hendrix went to sign the dotted line he merely believed he was signing a contract to be paid as a session musician. In reality, Hendrix signed a contract that would later only gift him $1 and 1% of the profits from his acclaimed musical catalog.

Some of the clauses embedded in the contract include, “P.P.X. shall have exclusive rights to assign for all masters produced in conjunction with Jimi Hendrix” and “That Jimi Hendrix will produce and play and/or sing exclusively for P.P.X. Enterprises, Inc., for three (3) years” per UCR. Needless to say, all the answers are in the fine print.

The Legal Battle That Followed

Following Hendrix’s success in London with a new record label, Chalpin sued Hendrix, his manager, and his new label. Consequently, Hendrix and Chalpin had an on-and-off legal battle that lasted until 2014 and spanned across two countries. All the lawsuits pertained to the rightful ownership and distribution of Hendrix’s body of work and estate.

As of the first lawsuit, Hendrix and Chalpin settled in 1968 under an undisclosed amount and on undisclosed grounds. Chalpin’s cunning ways and Hendrix’s naivety led to one of the most extensive and lengthy entertainment legal battles of all time. So, if you’re a young musician and haven’t learned something from Hendrix quite yet. He’d surely tell you “Hire a lawyer before you sign anything”

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