Jimi Hendrix's manager in the United States, Bob Levine, asserts that the late guitarist's former roadie James 'Tappy' Wright's claim that the legendary musician was murdered by his UK manager is a "giant lie."

Wright had alleged in his 2009 book, 'Rock Roadie,' that Hendrix's UK manager, Michael Jeffrey, once admitted to him that he had killed Hendrix by stuffing his mouth with pills and pouring red wine down his throat. Levine is now speaking out on Wright's claim, saying his story is completely fabricated.

"It's totally unfair to Jimi," says Levine. "It's unfair to everybody who was around at the time. I just think it's really unfair to the fans, to anybody who ever loved Jimi Hendrix. Yes, he died a tragic death, and he died much too young. But spreading these lies that he was murdered? It's utter crap, and I've been silent about this for much too long."

Wright claimed that Jeffrey, who died in a 1973 plane crash, took out an insurance policy on Hendrix that was worth a few million dollars, thus giving him the impetus to murder the guitar god. But Levine says Hendrix's 1970 death was the result of accidental suffocation, as it was noted in the official medical examiner's report.

"He was with a girl who did give him some sleeping pills -- Jimi always had a hard time sleeping, so he'd take pills to make him sleep," explains Levine. "He had some wine, too, and went to sleep. But when it came time for the wine to come up, he had to vomit. He was literally knocked out by the pills, so he choked on his vomit."

Levine goes on to say that Wright even told him that he needed a "hook" for his book, and that he warned Wright not to include the murder claim in the memoir.

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