John “Mitch” Mitchell was found dead of natural causes in a Benson Hotel room in Portland, Ore., on Nov. 12. He was 61 years old.The name Mitch Mitchell might not ring any bells for the average music enthusiast, but to many drummers and music fans, he was a musical giant — a powerhouse drummer whose influence is still heard today, though it often goes unrecognized.Mitchell was the last living member of The Jimi Hendrix Experience and the second Jimi Hendrix affiliate to die this year.  Buddy Miles, who was the drummer for Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys, died Feb. 26.Mitchell, like many rock ‘n’ roll drummers of the ’60s, came from a jazz background. He was especially influenced by jazz great Elvin Jones, who played with Miles Davis and was part of the John Coltrane quartet.By the time he joined The Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1966, Mitchell was already an accomplished session musician who played with several British bands like The Pretty Things and The Riot Squad.When Hendrix and Mitchell first played, they found they complemented each other’s styles perfectly. Mitchell was capable of shadowing every note in Hendrix’s complex guitar rhythms, especially in the songs “Fire,” “The Wind Cried Mary” and “Manic Depression.”This collaboration was extremely productive, and it sometimes resulted in intimate jam sessions with just the two of them recording a song together, and Hendrix adding Noel Redding’s bass lines after the song was completed (Redding passed away in 2003).Although they gelled together well, they often butted heads on a song’s direction. Hendrix would have a very specific vision for the song, while Mitchell went in his own direction.Mitchell is credited with creating the drumming style of fusion, in which rock and jazz styles are combined and the drums are treated as a lead instrument. Mitchell was able to interject complex drum solos and fills while still maintaining the beat.He helped push the idea that drums could be a leading voice in a band, rather than being just part of the rhythm section.   After Hendrix’s death in 1970, Mitchell performed as a stand-in drummer for different musicians, including Jeff Beck. He also played with Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and blues great Muddy Waters. He even tried out for the drummer slot for Paul McCartney’s Wings but was turned down.Up until the late 1990s, Mitchell lived in semi-obscurity, occasionally giving interviews for Hendrix documentaries.Mitchell participated in the 2008 Experience Hendrix Tour, a month-long tour across the U.S. where guitarists like Buddy Guy and Kenny Wayne Shepherd stood in and paid tribute to Hendrix.After the month-long tour, Mitchell passed away in his sleep. It seemed he did all that he could to preserve the band’s legacy. The tour was his final gift to his fans.Mitchell’s style of drumming influenced a whole generation of drummers like the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith and Jane’s Addiction’s Stephen Perkins.Janie Hendrix, Jimi’s step-sister and chief executive of the Experience Hendrix Tour, said of Mitchell’s death, “He was a wonderful man, a brilliant musician and a great friend. His role in shaping the sound of The Jimi Hendrix Experience cannot be underestimated.”To many musicians — myself included — Mitchell’s death is a tragic loss. His death was not only the passing away of another icon; it was the symbolic death of one of rock’s greatest trios. No one could argue against Mitchell’s importance. He was one of greatest drummers of his time. His skill is even more amazing considering he was 19 at the time he joined the Jimi Hendrix Experience.Mitch Mitchell left an indelible mark on music. Like Hendrix, everyone has been copying him ever since “Are You Experienced,” but none can replicate his stage presence or intensity.- – – -Contact Blake LeJeune at [email protected]