Curtis Knight
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Curtis Knight (b. Curtis McNear, 1945 - 29 November 1999) was an American music artist and band leader who is infamously known for his connection to Jimi Hendrix. Curtis was a sub-par artist in the 1960s Harlem music scene, usually fronting his own band "the Squires". This band gigged in clubs in New York City, and other surrounding areas. It was through Knight that Hendrix got involved with Ed Chalpin, a record producer who signed the future superstar to a contract that was considered not important to Hendrix, before he left for England to form the "Experience".
Both Knight and Chalpin would later claim that they both were trying to make Hendrix a "star", but Chalpin had him sign a contract that gave Hendrix only 1% of any royalties that his recordings earned. Meanwhile, Chas Chandler actually "discovered" him, while fronting his first band "the Blue Flames" in Greenwich Village. It was only after Chalpin read music trade papers that he realized that Hendrix had made it successfully across the Atlantic in the "Psychedelic" and "Flower Power" period, and began to pursue legal action against Hendrix, his management and record companies, with Knight as his main witness.
During the legal battles, Chalpin released some of his Hendrix records:
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All were released with pictures of Hendrix that were post-Squires, and stated that Knight played a big part in Hendrix style.
During the 1970s, after Hendrix's demise, Knight moved to London, England where he formed the group "Curtis Knight, Zeus", and toured throughout Europe, relying on his "Hendrix" connection for many years.
