A sad day… the last surviving member of one of rock’s great power trios has passed on.
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s drummer Mitch Mitchell was found dead in a downtown Portland hotel Wednesday.
The Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s office said 61-year-old Mitch Mitchell likely died of natural causes. His body was found just after 3 a.m. at the Benson Hotel.
An autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday.
Mitchell had been playing with the Experience Hendrix tour that just made a stop in Portland at the Schnitz last Friday.
Mitchell might not be one of the greatest drummers in rock history, but his style of playing suited the Experience perfectly. In order for a band to be successful, it’s not about how proficient or creative they are as individual musicians (although that certainly helps), but rather it’s about how their chemistry makes them work as a cohesive unit. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Room Full of Mirrors, Charles R. Cross’s definitive biography of Jimi Hendrix.
Icepicks and Nukes 