Famous inheritance disputes: Jimi Hendrix legacy battle lives on 50 years after the star’s death
Guitar legend Jimi Hendrix died at just 27 in 1970 yet the legacy battle over his assets still lives on today.
Having died of an overdose on 18th September 1970, Jimi left no will for his believed £50m fortune which was inherited by his father Al under intestacy rules.
A few years after the star’s death, Al sold the distribution rights of his son’s music, only to later enter a battled to regain control of Jimi’s image and song rights in 1995.
Due to continued sales, it’s understood today Jimi Hendrix’s estate is valued in the region of £130m.
Al had written his own will dividing the estate he had inherited from his famous son between his other children and grandchildren. However, it was later revealed that Al had removed Jimi’s brother Leon from his will – leaving him only one golden record.
Jimi’s father died in 2002 leaving control of the Hendrix estate and its fortune to his adopted stepdaughter Janie. Leon sued, claiming that Janie had ‘exerted undue influence’ on his father.
In 2004 a judge upheld that Janie would remain in control of the estate. However, three years later Leon was awarded the rights of Jimi’s likeness and image. He continues to battle for his brother’s estate.
Speaking to the Daily Express in 2017 Leon said: “My Dad was going to leave me £25m in a trust fund he named ‘Bodacious’ – his nickname for me as a kid. But in his final years my dad signed papers and I was cut out of the will.”
Over the last five decades numerous claims of entitlement for a share of Jimi Hendrix’s estate have been made. Making this one long legacy battle.
It’s all too common for people to put off writing a will. From our own research we know that 50 per cent of adults in the UK don’t have a will – leading to lengthy probate delays and sadly, family disputes over inheritance. Find out how Tower Street Finance is making access to inheritance easier with its Inheritance Advance, IHT Loan, and Inheritance Dispute Funding Loan.
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