When she was two, New Haven-born Desiree Bassett’s hero was country star Reba McEntire, whose songs she was already singing. At three, Desiree began playing a mini-guitar, moving on to her dad’s full-scale model at five. By 12 she was an acolyte of Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, and Joe Satriani, playing the side stage at Ozzfest. Not yet 16, she’s since found herself jamming on-stage with rock legends and networking at NAMM.
Here’s Desiree on-stage with Sammy Hagar at MGM Grand Northwoods recently, ripping up Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll.”
Here she takes a dazzling turn on Jimi Hendrix’s “Crosstown Traffic” in a guest turn with Living Colour.
Bonus: Desiree’s solo take on Hendrix’s signature, “Purple Haze.”