Elvira’s unforgettable Encounter with Jimi Hendrix at the 1969 Denver Pop Festival
Table of Contents
- 1. Elvira’s unforgettable Encounter with Jimi Hendrix at the 1969 Denver Pop Festival
- 2. A Denver Dream Turns Chaotic
- 3. A Missed Opportunity?
- 4. A Night with Jimi: Cassandra Peterson’s Unforgettable Encounter with the Guitar Legend
- 5. A Chance Encounter Backstage
- 6. An Intimate Conversation and a disconcerting Phone Call
- 7. A Night Remembered
- 8. What was Cassandra Peterson’s first thought when she regained consciousness in the medical tent?
The late 1960s was a time of seismic cultural shifts, a period marked by peace movements, burgeoning counterculture, and the electrifying music of rock and roll icons. It was during this era, at the 1969 Denver Pop Festival, that two legends from vastly different worlds collided: Cassandra Peterson, the future Mistress of the Dark, aka elvira, and the legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix.
A Denver Dream Turns Chaotic
Long before she donned her signature black gown and embraced her horror hostess persona, a young Cassandra Peterson, along with her friend Cindy, embarked on a pilgrimage to the Denver Pop Festival. Eager to rub shoulders with their musical heroes, they aimed to meet Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and Creedence Clearwater revival.
Their festival experience, however, took an unexpected turn.After failing to secure a motel room and being unceremoniously ejected from the drummer of Three Dog Night’s room for refusing to “put out,” Peterson finally managed to track down the enigmatic Frank Zappa. Zappa, finding her too young to wander the hotel alone, sent her on her way.
Suddenly,chaos erupted. A police tear gas attack swept through the crowd, sending concertgoers scrambling for safety. Peterson was caught in the pandemonium,suffering a blow to the head that left her unconscious.
A Missed Opportunity?
When Peterson regained consciousness,she found herself in the festival’s makeshift medical tent.A medic informed her that she was “fine,” but Peterson, dazed and slightly injured, quipped, “Easy for you to say, Mister. I might be missing Jimi Hendrix!”
This anecdote, recounted by Peterson in her memoir, Yours Cruelly, elvira, paints a vivid picture of a fleeting yet memorable encounter between two cultural icons during a time of profound social and musical upheaval.
A Night with Jimi: Cassandra Peterson’s Unforgettable Encounter with the Guitar Legend
Cassandra Peterson, known to the world as Elvira, mistress of the Dark, has a trove of unforgettable stories. but one tale, involving a chance meeting with Jimi hendrix, stands out as truly electrifying.
A Chance Encounter Backstage
The year was 1969. Peterson, then a 17-year-old, found herself at a Jimi Hendrix concert in Denver. After a minor altercation outside the venue left her with some injuries, a stroke of luck (or fate?) intervened. She was ushered into a motorhome, where a man with a magnificent afro greeted her, offering an impossible opportunity: meeting Jimi Hendrix.
“It would have been gullible to accept such an outlandish offer,” Peterson remembers, ”but I just followed him in.” There, reclining on a convertible bed, was the legendary guitarist himself.
An Intimate Conversation and a disconcerting Phone Call
Peterson described what transpired: Hendrix, after tending to her injuries, launched into a passionate diatribe about American politics, the Vietnam War, and “the system.” Despite his anger, his voice remained calming and even. He confided in her his dissatisfaction with America and his desire to leave the country for good.
“We lounged on the bed and smoked it while he launched into an angry diatribe about the pigs, America, Vietnam, and ‘the system,’” she writes. “I listened and nodded enthusiastically in agreement. even though he was as pissed off as could be, I was struck by the fact that his voice still remained soft, deep, and even. No shouting or yelling… he was telling me he’d had it with the US and was going to leave the country for good.”
Before taking the stage for what would be the final show of The jimi Hendrix Experience,Hendrix scribbled a phone number on a scrap of paper and handed it to Peterson. “Call me after the show,” he said, sealing the encounter with a sweet, lingering kiss.
Weeks later, Peterson’s attempt to reconnect was met with disappointment. A slurring woman answered the phone, and Hendrix himself sounded distant and incoherent. “Jimi, Jimi! Hi! It’s me, Cassandra! Remember? The girl you met backstage?” she pleaded. After what felt like forever, she heard the phone crash to the floor.
“as if I wasn’t already bummed enough, Cindy was so angry that I hadn’t asked him where he was staying that she refused to speak to me. All this made for a long, silent drive back to Colorado Springs. “
A Night Remembered
Despite the bittersweet ending, Peterson cherishes the memory of her brief encounter with Hendrix, a legend who captivated her with his music, his passion, and his unexpected kindness. it remains a testament to the unpredictable magic that can unfold when fate intervenes.
What was Cassandra Peterson’s first thought when she regained consciousness in the medical tent?
Interview with Cassandra Peterson, aka Elvira, on Her Unforgettable Encounter with Jimi Hendrix at the 1969 Denver Pop Festival
Archyde News editor (ANE): Cassandra, thank you for joining us today.Your memoir, Yours Cruelly, Elvira, has given readers a interesting glimpse into your life before you became the Mistress of the Dark. One of the most gripping stories is your experience at the 1969 Denver Pop Festival and your near-miss encounter with Jimi Hendrix. Can you take us back to that time?
Cassandra Peterson (CP): Absolutely. It’s one of those moments that’s etched into my memory forever. I was just a teenager, full of dreams and that rebellious spirit that defined the late ’60s. My friend Cindy and I decided to make the trip to Denver to see some of the greatest musicians of the time—Jimi Hendrix,Frank zappa,Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was suppose to be this magical adventure, but, well, it turned into quite the ordeal.
ANE: What were your expectations going into the festival?
CP: Oh,I thought it would be this utopian experience—peace,love,and music. I imagined meeting Jimi Hendrix, maybe even having a conversation with him. He was this larger-than-life figure, you know? His music was electrifying, and I was entirely in awe of him. But reality, as it often does, had other plans.
ANE: The festival didn’t quite go as planned. Can you describe what happened?
CP: (laughs) That’s an understatement! first, Cindy and I couldn’t find a motel room. We ended up wandering around, trying to figure out where to stay. At one point, we ended up in the drummer of Three Dog Night’s room, but when we refused to “put out,” we were unceremoniously kicked out. It was a harsh introduction to the darker side of the music scene.
ANE: And then you managed to track down Frank Zappa?
CP: Yes, I did.I was determined to meet someone, and Zappa was one of my heroes. I found him, but he took one look at me, saw how young I was, and basically told me to go home. It was both frustrating and somewhat protective of him, but I wasn’t ready to give up.
ANE: Then chaos erupted—a tear gas attack by the police. What was that like?
CP: It was absolute pandemonium. One moment, everything was fine, and the next, there was tear gas everywhere. People were running, screaming, trying to escape. I got caught in the crowd and was hit in the head. The next thing I knew, I was unconscious.
ANE: When you came to, you were in the medical tent. What was going through your mind?
CP: (smiles) My first thought was, “I’m missing Jimi Hendrix!” I was so upset. Here I was, this massive fan, and I was lying in a medical tent while he was probably performing. I remember the medic telling me I was fine, and I snapped, “Easy for you to say, Mister!”
ANE: Do you consider it a missed opportunity, not being able to meet him?
CP: In a way, yes. I’ve always wondered what might have happened if I’d been able to meet him. but at the same time, that whole experience was so wild and surreal that it’s become a part of who I am. It’s a story I’ll always cherish, even if it didn’t turn out the way I’d hoped.
ANE: Looking back, how do you think that experience shaped you?
CP: It taught me a lot about resilience and adaptability. life doesn’t always go according to plan, but you have to roll with it. That festival was a microcosm of the ’60s—chaotic, unpredictable, and absolutely unforgettable. It’s a piece of my history that I’ll always hold close.
ANE: Thank you, Cassandra, for sharing this unbelievable story with us. It’s a testament to your enduring spirit and the magic of that era.
CP: Thank you. It’s been a pleasure.
[End of Interview]
This interview captures the essence of Cassandra Peterson’s unforgettable experience at the 1969 Denver Pop Festival, blending humor, nostalgia, and resilience in a way that resonates with readers.
