Mr Odell 'Gorgeous' George played an important part in Jimi Hendrix's career as in the Spring of 1963 it was he who first introduced Hendrix, then an unknown black guitarist to the road. Hendrix met 'Gorgeous' George when a soul/R&B package tour rolled into Nashville in March, 1963, headed by Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson and compered by George ..a showbix jack-of-all-trades, Odell performed many functions - MC, valet, promoter - he also had his own band, which played a set and backed up the solo stars on the bill... Hendrix met George when he and Billy Cox went to see Jackie Wilson at the Hippodrome in Nashville and George persuaded Hendrix to join him on the road as his guitar player. ...Jimmy spent the next two years travelling on what was rather patronisingly known as the 'chitlin circuit'... where he did backing work behind countless performers including Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke, Slim Harpo, Tommy Tucker, The Supremes, The Valentinos, Hank Ballard And The Midnighters, Sam Cooke and The Isley Brothers, and it was 'Gorgeous' George who persuaded Hendrix to join Little Richard circa 1965. (See Shapiro (Harry) & Glebbeek (Caesar): Jimi Hendrix Electric Gypsy, Heinemann, London, pp.70-2, 84-5, & 652-3)