Noel Redding

Noel Redding, bass player for the legendary Jimi Hendrix Experience from its formation in 1966 through its dissolution three years later, has died. He was 57.

Mr. Redding was found dead Monday at his home in the town of Clonakilty in southern Ireland, said his manager, Ian Grant. An autopsy was planned to determine the cause of death.

" Noel was an extremely gentle and gracious soul. He had a kind of chivalry and nobility about him and he was kind to everyone bar none, people and animals alike, " said Deborah McNaughton, his longtime partner.

Chas Chandler, a former bassist for The Animals who became a rock manager, recruited Mr. Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell to form the Experience with Hendrix in England.

The band produced three groundbreaking albums of psychedelic rock " Are You Experienced?, " " Axis: Bold as Love " and " Electric Ladyland. " Its hits included " Purple Haze, " " Hey Joe " and " Foxey Lady. "

The group broke up in 1969 before the famed Woodstock appearance by Hendrix, who died the next year.

Mr. Redding wrote two Experience songs: " She ' s So Fine " and " Little Miss Strange. "

Mr. Redding, who was born Dec. 25, 1945, in the English Channel port city of Folkestone, played with the Modern Jazz Group and the Loving Kind before joining the Experience.

He had said that his greatest achievements were playing the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, where the Experience made its U.S. debut and Hendrix set his guitar on fire, and the band ' s 1992 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

After the breakup of the Experience, Mr. Redding formed his own band, Fat Mattress, which released a 1969 album of the same name, followed by " Fat Mattress 2 " in 1970. Both were re-released as a set in 2000.

Later, he formed the Noel Redding Band, which recorded " Clonakilty Cowboys " in 1975 and " Blowin ' " in 1976. Other recordings included " On Tour " in 2001 and last year ' s " Live From Bunkr-Prague. "

In 1990, Mr. Redding and Mitchell each published books about their experiences.

" Jimi ' s death was the most lucrative act of his sad career, " Mr. Redding wrote in " Are You Experienced? " in which he alleged that the Hendrix estate owed him money.

In February, Mr. Redding threatened to sue Experience Hendrix, the company that manages the Hendrix catalog, for up to $5 million in lost earnings. The estate rejected the claim.

The Noel Redding Bass Guitar Method was published last year in the United States by Carl Fischer Music.

Mr. Redding played most Friday nights for the past 20 years at De Barra, a local pub, Grant said, often with his friends John Coughlin from Status Quo and Eric Bell of Thin Lizzy.

Mr. Redding had no children.