With the exception of the Band of Gypsys,Mitch Mitchell played drums with Jimi Hendrix uninterrupted from their first gigs in Paris, at Woodstock, and through to Hendrix's last gig, the ill-fated Isle of Fehrmarn festival. 

John 'Mitch' Mitchell (b. London, 1947) occupied much of his youth with acting. He appeared in commerials, television and film and played the title role in BBC series Jennings At Home. At the age of thirteen, he played drums in a band called The Travellers (also in the Travellers was future Animals guitarist Vic Briggs).  By 1965, Mitchell was playing full-time in a band called The Riot Squad (Jon Lord, later of Deep Purple, was also a member.)  Mitchell was also gaining attention as a session drummer.

All this activity prompted an invitation from Georgie Fame to join his group. Fame had two UK number-one hits, Get Away and Yeh, Yeh in 1965. Mitchell played with Fame from October 1965 until he and the rest of Georgie Fame’s band were suddenly fired. Coincidentally, it was the day before Chas Chandler called, offering Mitchell two weeks touring in France as opening act for Johnny Halliday.

Also in the running for the drum seat was Aynsley Dunbar. Hendrix and Chandler couldn’t decide- in the end, they flipped a coin and Mitch Mitchell joined the Jimi Hendrix Experience.