Larry Lee - Gypsy Sun and Rainbows

Gypsy Sun and Rainbows

Lee was an old friend of Jimi Hendrix and Billy Cox, they had all played together in various R&B acts, and in 1969 he joined Hendrix's new band Gypsy Sun and Rainbows as rhythm guitarist, occasionally playing alternating lead. The newly formed band was hired to play the Woodstock Music Festival for which Hendrix had been previously booked to play as the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Lee had only been back from the Vietnam war for two weeks, was unemployed when Hendrix called him and had only joined Gypsy Sun and Rainbows a week before the Woodstock concert.

At the concert Hendrix and Lee both wore white outfits and exotic headgear was much in evidence, Lee wore a distinctive green bandana that had long tassles hanging over his eyes, which at the time he thought was a statement of originality as he explains in the Woodstock DVD, whereas Billy Cox wore a multi coloured turban and Hendrix a bright pink bandana and large shining ear studs. Lee played a Gibson Les Paul guitar and sang his own composition 'Master Mind' as well as two Impressions numbers sung as a medley - 'Gypsy Woman' and 'Aware of Love', with Hendrix playing Curtis Mayfield style back up, he also took several solos and played some alternating lead ("weaving") with Hendrix.

After Woodstock these "hired guns" briefly continued to help Hendrix develop his new style, which included the first of his classic, new "message" songs, in which Hendrix attempted to communicate his complex philosophy towards the current Vietnam war and human relationships in general: Machine Gun, Message to Love and Izabella. This group then played at the Harlem, 'United Block' benefit and later performed at the small 'Salvation' club in Greenwich Village to a mixed reception. Lee, Velez and Sultan then went off to pursue their briefly interrupted careers, Sultan later played occasional sessions for Hendrix.