Biblical archeology has always interested me, and it was, at one point in my life as consideration as a career. Sell everything, move to the Middle East, and dig. The intent is still there, and when I came across an unused ticket in my wife’s dad’s “locker” for Jimi Hendrix, I “dug”. Dig what I’m sayin’? Groovy. Anyhow, this ticket was for a performance in Muncie, Indiana, which is just down the road from where we live.
The date was March 27th, 1968 at the Delaware County Fairgrounds (or, “Lions” Fairgrounds), on Wheeling Ave. Jimi and the Experience were on tour for the ‘Axis Bold as Love’ record, which came out that January following, ‘Are You Experienced’ (May, 1967) that has classic tunes such as, Purple Haze, Hey Joe, Foxey Lady (that’s not a misspell); both of these records are great. As a drummer, Mitch Mitchell’s heavily jazz influenced playing – with a rock edge – is something I sought to duplicate over my years of playing.
This was Hendrix’s first appearance in Indiana (two more appearances occurred, Indy in ’69, and Evansville in ’70). They played Cleveland the night before, and the following night would skip over to Cincinnati. It was a three day grind on the road. Getting out of Cleveland in 1968 and arriving in Muncie would have been a real challenge. Betty Harris, writing a review of the concert for the Muncie Evening Press (March 29th, 1968), stated, “Believing Muncie to be closer to Cleveland (where they appeared Tuesday night) than it was, they were flying low when the police nabbed first Hendrix’ car, and a little later, the Soft Machine’s, Jerry Stickells who, has the often-frustrating job of road manager, driving Hendrix’ car, paid up and left. The Machine’s personal manager Tom Edmunston, talked his way down from a $75 fine to $18.50, but by the time they got there, Stickells was having visions of car wrecks, etc.” The Soft Machine was an opening act, with the Mark Boyle Sense Laboratory. Jimi almost was arrested because he was “smoking a joint” before the show, but he was tipped off and put it out. Police instinctively knew, if Jimi is around, weed is around.
What caught my interest, though, was that Harris mentioned meeting Hendrix and the band at a Holiday Inn. “The trip to the Holiday Inn was a dud. But back at the Old Barn a half-hour later – first a great head, then a small frame on one small scarf-tied, black-knee boot then another thrust itself through the doorway and Jimi Hendrix Experience had begun in Muncie… Redding’s a nut about the ‘telly,’ so it took some talking to get him away from the Holiday Inn. Hendrix was talking about his new ‘vet.’ [Corvette Stingray].” Redding, of course, is Noel Redding; the ‘telly’ is a television.
Larry McKaye and Jimi; Larry was a well known Promotor
The ‘Old Barn’ was the Delaware Fairgrounds. They stayed, however, at the Holiday Inn, and my mind wondered…where is that?
After more research, there was only one Holiday Inn in Muncie in 1968. And then, voila!
Postcard found on EBAY
One can notice the fence difference and the large electric tower in the background. The address, too, gave me the location, and so, off I went. What was there now?
Red Carpet Inn, past its prime
It was a Red Carpet Inn, and in a bad section of town, ran down, condemned and scheduled for demolition. I read several articles about its condition and demolition, which was to be just shy two weeks before I found it as it was. From the postcards, I could see that the structure of the building remained the same. I walked onto the property and met a lady who was watching the building for the demolition crew. I told her my quest, and she, too, became immediately excited. “Jimi stayed here?” “Yep!”
I was never afraid of condemned properties growing up in New Castle, Indiana. As kids in the seventies, the outdoors were our playground. Railroad tracks, condemned warehouses, and old barns were the stages for reenacting Escape from Devil’s Island, The Planet of the Apes, and fighting the Nazis. Show me a dumpster with a possible treasure, and I am diving in!
One can see the electric tower in the background
My imagination was running wild. With Spanish Castle Magic playing in my head, I wanted to see the pool. Walking through some weeds, a few webs weaved by God’s insects, broken glass, there it was:
The white brick wall be seen from the first postcard.
The pool was shaped exactly the same, with the tower in the back. This was the Holiday Inn, no doubt. More specifically, it’s just down the road from the Fairgrounds, which is still there.
Locating the exact building was a challenge (Teen America Building), but there is, to my surprise, a good deal of material online about this performance. But, I can’t begin to tell you the laugh I got when I saw this sign: Life is a Garden. Dig it! Jimi? Weird!
Photo from the showPhoto from the show
So, there it is. The archeology nerd in me. Jimi Hendrix and Mitch Mitchell played just 15 or so miles from where I live, and only a few thousand showed up (the concert did not sell out). I mean, Ball State University was here, and yet, no huge crowd. Purple Haze was a single, and Jimi performed his famous ‘fire burning’ show at the Monterrey Pop Festival almost a year before. In August, 1969, he would perform at Woodstock.
September 18th, 1970 Jimi was found dead at the age of 27, joining the ’27 Club’ members, Brian Jones (Rolling Stones), Jim Morrison (the Doors), and Janis Joplin. Eerily, Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) and Amy Winehouse were also 27 at the time of their self-inflicted deaths (whether through excessive substance abuse, or suicide). Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. ‘It’s better to burn out, than fade away’ (from Neil Young’s lyric, but repeated in Def Leppard’s opening line for Rock of Ages – a parody of the hymn); ‘I’d rather laugh with the sinner, than cry with the saint’ – Billy Joel’s Only the Good Die Young. But, for Young’s lyric, ‘rock ‘n’ roll will never die.’ ‘Long live rock’, shouted Roger Daltrey of the Who. ‘I’m gonna get my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames,’ Jim Morrison muses on their live album. ‘This the end, my only friend.’
There isn’t any need for demonstrating the hedonism of the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle and its music. Look, I like it. As a drummer and somewhat ‘okay’ guitarist, music played a huge part in my life growing up in Indiana. Our state was considered the ‘blue jeans’ state made up of white kids with nothing to do and a bottle of Boone’s Farms. Aerosmith, Rush, Kiss, Ted Nugent, REO Speedwagon hammered our area, with Ohio, Illinois and ‘Detroit Rock City.’ We ate it up, and snuck it in the home. The look of disgust from our parents faces when seeing pictures of the rock gods was priceless. Greg Goodwin remembers his mom seeing the picture of Aerosmith on their first album and saying, “they look like bums!” They were bums; drug-addicted, alcohol addled bums – but man, could they play! I have to note the exception of Gene Simmons, and Ted Nugent, of course.
My sold-out devotion to Jesus Christ – ever always present with me since I can remember – “going to church” and Vacation Bible School, and yet giving in to my flesh quite often, probably describes a lot of us fifty somethings. My faith won out. I don’t listen to a lot of these bands anymore, not from an external ‘command’ yelled out by some religious nut, but from an internal one; my conscience. There is not one song I can remember that brings me to tears, but there are plenty of hymns that often times drops me to my knees. I don’t rail against ‘listening to the Devil’s music’, and I don’t think certain chords are ‘evil.’ I never understood the whole ‘spinning the records backwards’, when listening to them forwards, like Black Sabbath, or Ronnie J. Dio, said enough. The Devil will hit everyone as hard as he can (take Job, for example), but it is God that ‘gets one through’ to the other side. I could have been a member of the 27 Club. Sure. I look back and know that if I ‘made it big’ at the age of 19 or 20 as rock drummer, I would be dead within a few years. I know this. God carried me through – ups, downs, highs, and lows. It’s a mystery, but I am thankful and far more content these days than I have ever been.
Jimi Hendrix? Yeah, poor soul. Great talent wasted. So young. His message? Tune in, drop out, expand your mind. Didn’t get him very far. But, then again, flesh profits nothing. Each of these ‘experiences’ in my life make me who I am, in God’s image; each valley, each sin, and each step brings me – and you who are in Christ – one more ordained step closer to glorification. Walking around this old, condemned building, thinking of the lives that once enjoyed Holiday Inn’s comforts, all gone now, brought me to think of what’s it all worth? Just steps, memories, and some laughs? That’s it? In the end, you just end up old, worn out, and condemned, near ready to vanish away? The resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth destroys this image; there is more. We don’t just “die” and “go to heaven” (as if that solves anything here on earth); Jesus rose from the dead, from that which corrupts and brings about ‘fading away.’ But, that’s the point: all of our experience in this body we so care for only leads to death; but life in Christ will lead to eternal life in this very body, raised from the dead and made immortal, so that every experience in this body is brought to worth, because it will be brought to bear. This is a staggering thought for me. Jimi Hendrix will be raised from the dead in the last day, according to Jesus. He will be judged ‘for the things done through the body, good or bad’ in that day, according to Paul. Had Jimi known this, he would have treated his body as a temple. Instead, he treated it as rubbish, injecting it, flooding it, abusing it, and prematurely killing it. That is gnosticism in our age, seeking pleasures without any thought that what is done in this body, will one day be judged as this body these things were done in stands again before Him. Resurrection means that there is no separation between what is done in the body, and what is believed in the heart. There won’t be any excuse, “well, that’s just my flesh’s fault, I am now a spiritual being, and my body is dead.” Nope. What is done in this body, will be judged in this body. That is the explosive message of resurrection from the dead.
Samuel M. Frost has gained the recognition of his family, peers, colleagues, church members, and local community as a teacher and leader. Samuel was raised in the Foursquare Gospel tradition and continued in the rising Charismatic Movement of the early 1980’s. While serving in local congregations he was admitted to Liberty Christian College in Pensacola, Florida where he lived on campus for four years earning his Bachelor’s of Theology degree. It was there under the tutelage of Dr. Dow Robinson (Summer Institutes of Linguistics), and Dr. Frank Longino (Dallas Theological Seminary) that he was motivated to pursue a career in Theology. Dr. Robinson wrote two books on Linguistics, Workbook on Phonological Analysis (SIL, 1970) and Manuel for Bilingual Dictionaries: Textbook (SIL, 1969). It was under these teachers’ guidance that Frost entered into his Master’s studies, being granted a scholarship for Greek I and II at Pentecostal Theological Seminary, accredited, in Cleveland, Tennessee (adjunct of Lee University). Frost completed his study under Dr. French Arrington (The Ministry of Reconciliation, Baker Books, 1980), who used the text of J. Gresham Machen, New Testament Greek for Beginners.
Frost studied Hebrew for two years under Dr. Mark Futato (author, Beginning Biblical Hebrew, Eisenbrauns, 2003) and Dr. Bruce K. Waltke (author, An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax, Eisenbrauns, 1990) at Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, Florida. With combined credits from PTS and RTS, Samuel completed his Master of Arts in Christian Studies and Master of Arts in Religion from Whitefield Theological Seminary in Lakeland, Florida under the direct tutelage of Dr. Kenneth G. Talbot, co-author of the well reviewed work, Hyper-Calvinism and Arminianism (Whitefield Media, 2005) with Dr. Gary Crampton (and Foreword by the late, Dr. D. James Kennedy). Dr. Talbot also oversaw Samuel’s Dissertation, From the First Adam to the Second and Last Adam (2012) earning him the Magister Theologiae (Th.M.) degree. He also helped put together A Student’s Hebrew Primer for WTS, designed and graded exams for their Hebrew Languages course.
Samuel’s studies lead him into an issue in the field of Eschatology where his scholarship and unique approach in Hermeneutics garnered him recognition. Because of the controversial nature of some of his conclusions, scholars were sharp in their disagreement with him. Frost’s initial work, Misplaced Hope: The Origins of First and Second Century Eschatology (2002, Second Edition, 2006 Bi-Millennial Publishing), sold over four thousand units. While arguing for the Reformation understanding of sola Scriptura as defined by the Westminster Confession of Faith, Frost’s book launched a heavily footnoted argument for a total reassessment of the doctrine known as the Second Coming of Christ. The conclusion was that the events of the war of the Jewish nation against their Roman overlords in 66-70 C.E. formed the New Testament authors’ eschatological outlook, and went no further than their own first century generation; a view otherwise known as “full” or "hyper" Preterism. Internationally recognized Evangelical author and speaker, Steve Wohlberg remarked, ‘On the “preterist” side today…we have such influential leaders as Gary DeMar, Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr., David Chilton, R.C. Sproul, Max King, James Stuart Russell, Samuel M. Frost, and John Noe. To these scholars…the beast is not on the horizon, he’s dead” (Italics, his)” (End Time Delusions, Destiny Image Publishers, 2004, page 133). It should be noted that only Noe, King and Frost supported the “full” Preterist position.
Thomas Ice and co-author of the best selling Left Behind series, Tim LaHaye, quote Frost’s work, Misplaced Hope, as well in their book, The End Times Controversy: The Second Coming under Attack (Harvest House Publishers, 2003, page 40). Dr. Jay E. Adams, who single handedly launched “a revolution” in Christian Counseling with his work, Competent to Counsel: An Introduction to Nouthetic Counseling, (1970, Zondervan), also wrote an analysis of Frost’s work in Preterism: Orthodox or Unorthodox? (Ministry Monographs for Modern Times, INS Publishing, 2004). Adams wrote of Misplaced Hope as a "useful, scholarly work" (p.6 - though he disagreed with the overall thesis). Dr. Charles E. Hill, Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, wrote of Misplaced Hope that Frost, “attacks the problem of the early church in a much more thoroughgoing way than I have seen” (When Shall These Things Be? A Reformed Response to Hyper Preterism, Ed. Keith Mathison, Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing, 2003, ‘Eschatology in the Wake of Jerusalem’s Fall’ p. 110-ff.). There were several other works as well that took the scholarship of Frost seriously, like Ergun Caner in The Return of Christ: A Premillennial Perspective, Eds., Steve W. Lemke and David L. Allen (B&H Publishing, 2011).
Because of the controversial nature of Frost’s conclusions on these matters, it was difficult to find a denomination within the Church-at-Large to work in terms of pastoral ministry. That situation changed when Samuel was called by a Bible study group in Saint Petersburg, Florida to found a congregation. Christ Covenant Church was established in 2002 operating under the principles outlined by Presbyterian historian James Bannerman’s work, The Church of Christ: A Treatise on the Nature, Powers, Ordinances, Discipline, and Government of the Christian Church (Banner of Truth Trust, 1974, original, 1869). By-Laws and a Constitution were drawn up in the strictest manner for what was considered an “Independent” establishment of a Presbyterian Church, granted that a “call” was received and recognized by Presiding Elders duly ordained from existing and recognized denominations. Two Elders, one ordained in the Reformed Presbyterian Church (Mike Delores), and another ordained in the Presbyterian Church of America (Dr. Kelly N. Birks, now deceased) tested and reviewed the call, ordaining Samuel on October 20th, 2002, the Twenty Second Sunday after Trinity. Proper forms were submitted to Tallahassee, Florida with the stamp of a Notary Public Witness. Christ Covenant Church (CCC) functioned as a local church for five years with a congregation as large as 30 members. Frost was gaining recognition after Misplaced Hope had been published in January of that year, and conferences were hosted that included debates with another prominent "full" Preterist educator, Don K. Preston. CCC hosted best-selling authors, Thomas Ice, and Mark Hitchcock from Dallas Theological Seminary; and Dr. James B. Jordan (Westminster Theological Seminary), well-known author/pastor in Reformed theological circles. Frost was invited for the next several years to speak at over 25 conferences nation-wide, was featured in articles and an appearance on local news in Tampa for one of CCC’s conferences. The Evangelical Theological Society also invited Samuel to speak at the Philadelphia conference (Frost is currently a Member of ETS as well as Society of Biblical Literature).
During this time Samuel had submitted one more book, Exegetical Essays on the Resurrection of the Dead (TruthVoice, 2008; repr. JaDon Publishing, 2010); and co-wrote, House Divided: A Reformed Response to When Shall These Things Be? (Vision International, 2010). Frost also wrote several Forewords for up and coming authors who were influenced by his teaching materials, as well as cited many times in books, lectures and academic papers. However, because of certain aspects of Hermeneutics and Frost’s undaunted commitment to scholarship (with always a strong emphasis on the personal nature of devotional living to Christ), several challenges to the "hyper" Preterist view he espoused finally gave way, largely due to the unwavering commitment to Samuel by the Dean of Whitefield Theological Seminary, Dr. Kenneth G. Talbot, who continually challenged him. In what shocked the "hyper" Preterist world, Samuel announced after the Summer of 2010 that he was in serious error, and departed the movement as a whole, along with Jason Bradfield, now Assistant Pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church, Lakeland, Florida . Christ Covenant Church had dissolved after 2007 while Samuel continued as a public speaker and writer, largely due to reasons that would unravel Frost’s commitment to "hyper" Preterism as a whole.
The documentation of Frost’s departure was published by American Vision’s Founder, Gary DeMar, with a Foreword by Dr. Kenneth L. Gentry. Why I Left Full Preterism (AV Publishing, 2012) quickly ran through its first run. The book was later republished under the arm of Dr. Kenneth L. Gentry and is sold today (GoodBirth Ministries Publishing, 2019; though still available in Kindle form from American Vision). Dr. Gentry also gave mention to Frost in his book, Have We Missed the Second Coming: A Critique of Hyper Preterism (Victorious Hope Publishing, 2016), noting him as "one of the most prominent" teachers within Full Preterism (135). Dr. Keith Mathison, Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformation Bible College in Sanford, Florida, endorsed the book as well. Samuel has gone on to write, Daniel: Unplugged (McGahan Publishing House, 2021); The Parousia of the Son of Man (Lulu Publishing, 2019); God: As Bill Wilson Understood Him, A Theological Analysis of Alcoholics Anonymous (Lulu Publishing, 2017). He is also active as a certified Chaplain with the Henry County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana, and enrolled with ICAADA (Indiana Counselor’s Association on Alcohol and Drug Abuse), and worked directly under Dr. Dennis Greene, Founder of Christian Counseling and Addictions Services, Inc., for a year. Frost’s passion is in the education of the local church on various issues and occasionally works with Pastor Alan McCraine with the First Presbyterian Church in Lewisville, Indiana, and Bethel Presbyterian Church, Knightstown, Indiana, where he periodically is called upon to give the sermon. Samuel, with his wife, Kimberly, helped to establish Heaven’s Bread Basket food pantry that donates food items to local families in need once a month – a ministry of the Session of First Presbyterian Church, Lewisville, Indiana.
Samuel also works part time at Ace Hardware in New Castle, Indiana for several years. He has a solid, family reputation in the community, and has performed local marriages and funerals. He also sits on the Board of the Historical Preservation Committee in New Castle. Recently, he has completed his two year quest for a Th.D from Christian Life School of Theology Global, Georgia.
View all posts by Samuel M. Frost, Th.D.
3 thoughts on “Jimi Hendrix Archeology”
I totally relate to this. Although Christ kept me from drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, etc., I was totally into all this music. I saw Kiss, Styx, Kansas, Alice Cooper, Van Halen, Boston, Ted Nugent, in concert. And, I loved Jimi Hendrix’s music. And I had all of Aerosmith’s albums as well as every album of the above bands, plus 100s more. My dad, Leon, was a cabinet & aluminum siding business owner/installer/salesman, but an incredible bluegrass musician who could play anything with strings (except a piano), and was (and still is) well-known in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia for it. For about 20 years after his death, there was a bluegrass memorial show every year in Bristol, TN named in his honor. He couldn’t read music though. Needless to say, he never liked my taste in music, but, ironically, I loved his and mine. But he never condemned me for it. He just would always caution me, “Son, be careful what you give your heart to. Remember God.” I still love music, just about all styles. The Christ in me is way more scrutinous about the lyrics, but, like you, I don’t see chords or styles of music as “evil” or “good.” I see them like a baseball bat. You can enjoy a game (good), or you could use it to kill (evil). It’s not the bat. It’s the wielder of it. Following Jesus all my life (mainly due to my dad’s loving nature and godliness; I wanted to be just like him), I never got into any of the serious trouble or body abuse that the heroes of my music did, and so I praise His keeping-power and grace on my behalf. But I totally relate to the transition you made to the coming resurrection. It is the deeds done in THIS body that are judged. I praise Him for His grace and depend on His mercy in that day! Thanks again, brother, for your thoughts and heart. God bless you!
Interesting post, Sam. It occurs to me that Hendrix also performed at Moody Coliseum here in Dallas back in ‘68–right on the SMU campus. I worked at SMU for 5 years, & used to work long shifts in and around Moody. They still have concerts there.
Vigilate et Orate 
I totally relate to this. Although Christ kept me from drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, etc., I was totally into all this music. I saw Kiss, Styx, Kansas, Alice Cooper, Van Halen, Boston, Ted Nugent, in concert. And, I loved Jimi Hendrix’s music. And I had all of Aerosmith’s albums as well as every album of the above bands, plus 100s more. My dad, Leon, was a cabinet & aluminum siding business owner/installer/salesman, but an incredible bluegrass musician who could play anything with strings (except a piano), and was (and still is) well-known in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia for it. For about 20 years after his death, there was a bluegrass memorial show every year in Bristol, TN named in his honor. He couldn’t read music though. Needless to say, he never liked my taste in music, but, ironically, I loved his and mine. But he never condemned me for it. He just would always caution me, “Son, be careful what you give your heart to. Remember God.” I still love music, just about all styles. The Christ in me is way more scrutinous about the lyrics, but, like you, I don’t see chords or styles of music as “evil” or “good.” I see them like a baseball bat. You can enjoy a game (good), or you could use it to kill (evil). It’s not the bat. It’s the wielder of it. Following Jesus all my life (mainly due to my dad’s loving nature and godliness; I wanted to be just like him), I never got into any of the serious trouble or body abuse that the heroes of my music did, and so I praise His keeping-power and grace on my behalf. But I totally relate to the transition you made to the coming resurrection. It is the deeds done in THIS body that are judged. I praise Him for His grace and depend on His mercy in that day! Thanks again, brother, for your thoughts and heart. God bless you!
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Greg,
We have a lot in common then!! Kindred souls.
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Interesting post, Sam. It occurs to me that Hendrix also performed at Moody Coliseum here in Dallas back in ‘68–right on the SMU campus. I worked at SMU for 5 years, & used to work long shifts in and around Moody. They still have concerts there.
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