Linda Keith is an ex- British model most well-known for her romantic relationships with Rolling Stones’ guitarist, Keith Richards, and American rock musician and singer Jimi Hendrix. She was primarily a model for hats, and also worked alongside photographer David Bailey. Beautiful and wild model, she was part of the youthful culture revolution during the swinging sixties period that took over London in the late 1960s. She was well-connected to the bohemian scene in West Hampstead in London. West Hampstead, which included famous musicians, singer-songwriters, and fashion icons. She played a key role in the emergence of Jimi Hendrix by introducing him the top talent in the music industry. It was said that the Rolling Stones song ‘Ruby Tuesday” and The Jimi Hendrix song “Send My Love to Linda’ were influenced by her. In the biographical film of 2014 “Jimi: All Is By My Side’ that explored the early period of Hendrix’s career English actor Imogen Poots played the character of Linda. She also performed the role in numerous documentaries that focus on the life of the musician.
Rise to Stardom
Linda Keith’s modelling career started when she was found carrying mail in the Vogue House in her late teens. Her first modeling gig came when she was asked to model for hats in an Observer magazine spread’. She gradually rose through the ranks, and started posing for the renowned photographer David Bailey. The time was when her most cherished acquaintance, Sheila Klein, was engaged to Andrew Oldham, who went to become the manager of the English rock group Rolling Stones. In the course of her relationship with him, she came across the guitarist of the group, Keith Richards, with whom she became close due to their common passion for music. They soon were romantically connected with each other and began accompanying group on their US tour.
In one of these tours in the latter half of May 1966, she toured The Cheetah Club in New York along with her model pals and was able to hear Jimi Hendrix on the guitar along with Curtis Knight and the Squires. She was awestruck by his talent and invited him to their table following the show. They were determined to ensure that the young talent was noticed and was offered an album deal too. She not only loaned Hendrix her brother Richards guitar and introduced Hendrix to Oldham initially, then Seymour Stein, but neither of these meetings was successful. She then invited Animals’ guitarist-turned-manager, Chas Chandler, to see Hendrix play and Chandler eventually helped him with his career. Although she returned to the UK and the pair lost contact but she’s still acknowledged with making Hendrix a rock’n’roll superstar.
Personal Life
Linda Keith was born in 1946 at West Hampstead, London to the famous British actor disc jockey, actor and radio host Alan Keith (born Alexander Kossoff) as well as his spouse, Pearl Rubeck. Both her parents are the descendants of immigrants from Russia-Judaism. Her father was recognized with the title of a ‘Officer to the Imperial British Empire’. There is an elder brother called Sir Brian Keith who has been acting as a High Court Judge since the year 2001. BAFTA award-winning actor David Kossoff, was her uncle. Blues rock guitarist Paul Kossoff, of the”Free” rock group was her cousin. She spent the majority of her time at the house of her parents located at the 80 Cholmley Gardens till her father passed awayin 2003.
Relationships
Linda Keith first began dating Keith Richards, in 1963 following their meeting by way of Rolling Stones’ manager, Andrew Oldham. Incredibly, Linda wasn’t a big rock star and was able to prohibit Keith Richards from playing their songs on her record player. They instead were friends because of their love of blues and. But, as a huge fan of black music Linda was eventually able to spend longer with American rocker Jimi Hendrix, whom she took under her wing shortly after they been in contact in May of the year 1966. It was said that it was her who, following their first meeting the guitarist over to her house to discuss the possibilities for his own solo music career. It was also in which she introduced Jimi to LSD.
Her determination to create an impression from the undiscovered guitarist was the talking point of the town and had caused tensions with Richards. But, she later said that when Jimi began to establish himself his management and people in his circle believed that she was a negative influences on his work. At the time she was also dependent on substances. Be concerned about her wellbeing, Richards informed her father that she was suffering and this had led Alan Keith to travel to America to return his daughter. After her return to London she was appointed an ward of the court. She was eventually married to British artist and record producer, John Porter, in 1983. She is currently living alongside her children and her family in New Orleans.
