A blue plaque is to be unveiled in Spalding in honour of one of the town’s most famous visitors.
Attention will be on the front of The Red Lion Hotel in Market Place on Friday next week (2pm) to see the unveiling – 48 years after rock legend Jimi Hendrix stayed there.
His stay was for one of the most momentous occasions in the town’s history – Bank Holiday Monday, May 29, 1967, when 4,000 rockers and hippies rolled in for a performance by six of the top bands of the day at the Bulb Auction Halls in Winfrey Avenue – now the site of Holland Market.
Headlining the event was Geno Washington with his Ram Jam Band, but also sharing the billing were Cream, Pink Floyd, The Move and Zoot Money, as well as Hendrix – who was to find a permanent place in the minds of music aficianados when he died from a drug overdose just three years later.
All of the acts were signed to perform as unknowns before reaching the height of their fame. In fact, Hendrix only received £128 for his appearance and guests for the gig paid an admission charge of just £1.
Almost half a century later, Spalding and District Civic Society, with the help of Nigel Wilkins, of The Red Lion, and Colin Ward, of Sounds Force 5, and Coun Elizabeth Sneath, are marking the occasion with a permament blue plaque.
The honour of unveiling the plaque will go to members of Sounds Force 5, including founder member Rob Munton, who will travel from Australia especially for the occasion.
Judy Chapman, of the civic society, said: “It is doubtful that Spalding will ever again see the likes of that memorable night in May 1967, which was at the start of the season that became known as The Summer of Love.”
