“I didn't want to besmirch his memory. So I lied. I just wanted people to see him in a good light. But I came to realize as I got older that I didn't have to lie. Yes, he took drugs. Did he take heroin? I've never seen heroin anywhere near him. I've worked on many backstages for almost 50 years. I know it's a drug that has killed a lot of musicians. But I don't believe Jimi was taking it. He smoked pot. He took a lot of LSD. He took pills. But I don't believe he was into heroin.”

Eric Barrett · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-30

Eric Barrett discussed why he initially lied about Jimi Hendrix's drug use.