An article published by the San Diego State University reveals that although Jimi Hendrix may have died more than 45 years ago, his botanical legacy will live forever. In a new study, a team of researchers, including San Diego State University plant biologist Michael Simpson, identified a new and rare species of succulent and dubbed it Dudleya hendrixii, or “Hendrix’s liveforever,” in honor of the guitar virtuoso.

The plant is found only on a tiny sliver of Baja California, Mexico, called the Colonet peninsula. One of the study’s coauthors, Mark Dodero—now a senior biologist at San Diego environmental consulting firm RECON Environmental—discovered it while he was a graduate student at SDSU. It’s a thin, stalky plant less than a foot tall with succulent leaves and brilliant pinkish white flowers. It dies in the summer and then re-sprouts again in the fall.

Read the complete article here.

A part of rock ‘n roll history will be auctioned on New Year’s Day when one of Jimi Hendrix’s treasured wah-wah pedals and an amplifier he used to record hit songs go up for auction at J. Levine Auction & Appraisal in Scottsdale, Arizona. The consignor, famous “Amp Doctor” Dave Weyer, built the wah pedal for Hendrix prior to Woodstock and said the amplifier he repaired and modified for Hendrix was originally used to record songs during his early days with The Jimi Hendrix Experience and used as a preamp later.

“We’ve spent a lot of time reviewing the provenance, listening to audio recordings, and examining photos and films from Woodstock, and we are confident that this was the wah pedal Jimi used during Woodstock,” said Antoine Gedroyc, J. Levine’s instruments and audio manager and consignment specialist. “It’s an honor and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent such an important part of music and American history.”

Weyer worked with many great artists, including Hendrix, Neil Young, Crosby Stills and Nash, Burritos Bothers, Vanilla Fudge, Three Dog Night, Ike and Tina Turner, and other rock legends of that era. Well-respected in his industry for his technical prowess, he started his career working for Thomas Organ Company. After a few years, he had pushed for building tube amps for guitar players for the Vox division of the company. When the company opted to stick with solid state amps, Weyer moved to Los Angeles in 1968 and began working for Jerry Sanders, owner of West Coast Organ and Amp.

Now living in Montana, Weyer credits Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix for making the wah-wah pedal a must-have for every up-and-coming rock musician.

“If you recall seeing the pedal on TV or in film, you will likely associate it with one of these stars, or other mega-acts of the day,” Weyer said. “Perhaps it was symbiotic, because what would Jimi have done without the Wah pedal?”

Read the full story at J. Levine Auction & Appraisal.

Hendrix’s Liveforever photo Stephen McCabe