Mentioned in recordsMusic · 1969–1970
Jimi Hendrix FBI File: What's Actually in the Declassified Records
Short answer
Hendrix's file is small and largely administrative — built around a 1969 customs arrest in Toronto where he was eventually acquitted, plus standard name-check requests.
File snapshot
- Name
- Jimi Hendrix
- Known for
- Guitarist and songwriter who reshaped rock music.
- File category
- Music
- Why they appear in records
- Hendrix is mentioned in records tied to a foreign arrest and routine inquiries.
- Years covered
- 1969–1970
- Source
- FBI Records: The Vault — Jimi Hendrix
Why there is a file
Following his Toronto arrest for alleged drug possession, U.S. agencies received international correspondence. The file is mostly clippings and routine memos.
What's in the file
- ▸Reports on the 1969 Toronto arrest.
- ▸Press clippings.
- ▸Name-check correspondence.
What people often get wrong
- ✗He was acquitted in the Toronto case.
- ✗The file does not show ongoing surveillance.
Timeline
- 1969Arrested at Toronto International Airport.
- 1970Acquitted; dies later that year.
Read the original records
Always consult the primary source. Public records may include redactions, allegations, and unverified informant claims.
Open: FBI Records: The Vault — Jimi Hendrix ↗Related files
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