Hendrix family sues over vodka marketing

SEATTLE – The family of late rock legend Jimi Hendrix filed a lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court protesting a local company’s use of his name to market vodka.

Experience Hendrix, the family-run company, claimed in the lawsuit that companies owned by Seattle businessman Craig Dieffenbach are using trademarked material to market Hendrix Electric Vodka and other products.

Janie Hendrix, CEO of the family company and the adopted sister of Jimi, called the promotional campaign a “sick joke” because Hendrix’s death in 1970 was tied to alcohol consumption.

“We are greatly concerned that there may be a perception that Experience Hendrix has, in some way, authorized this sale of vodka,” she said in a statement Tuesday. “As a matter of strict policy, we have never promoted an alcoholic beverage.”

The Hendrix Electric Vodka is packaged in purple-tinted bottles and has Jimi Hendrix’s face and signature above the label.

The lawsuit said the vodka’s packaging and marketing campaign too closely resembles images trademarked by the family company and refers to copyrighted songs and albums.

Dieffenbach said the lawsuit has no legal basis because a 2005 federal court ruled that Experience Hendrix does not own the rights to Jimi Hendrix’s name and image – just his music.

Electric Hendrix has the trademark rights for alcohol, coffee, perfume, casinos, hotels and financial products, said Dieffenbach, who has ties to Jimi’s brother, Leon Hendrix.