premise: Jimi Hendrix was an amateur parachutist.
hypothesis: James Marshall `` Jimi '' Hendrix ( born Johnny Allen Hendrix ; November 27 , 1942 -- September 18 , 1970 ) was an American rock guitarist , singer , and songwriter . Although his mainstream career spanned only four years , he is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music , and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century . In 1961 , he enlisted in the U.S. Army and trained as a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division ; he was granted an honorable discharge the following year .