Bob Dylan covered this one but it didn't come close!!

You do know that Dylan wrote All Along the Watchtower, right? So Jimi was the one who covered it.

In my early teens I knew a little about Hendrix. It wasn't until friends and I went to the drive in and saw The Song Remains the Same for the first movie, which I was more familiar with, then a Jimi Hendrix movie played, don't remember the name, but it blew me away.
The good ole days

I caught Dave Mason a couple summers ago. He was real good an stories were great. He said he covered All along the Watchtower first. He was good friends with Dylan. Dylan offered him the song. Jimi calls and invites him to play 2nd guitar on the studio version. Dave said Jimi heard his tune and wanted him to be part of his version. He was really proud to be part of that song. He did a nice version that night in his early 70's.

Clarify,
David Mason said he recorded the song first. Song as mentioned was a gift from his friend Dylan.
I like Dave's version sweet tone.

Yeah I know Bob Dylan wrote the song All Along The Watchtower. It's was Bob himself in the 1970's when asked about what he thought of Jimi's version said " Jimi really took that song to another place. I covered that on an album but it's Jimi's song". Bob later clarified what he meant. Said Jimi's version is the definitive version. It's his song now. He'll be remembered for that now, not me.

Otis Redding said something similar in the late 60s when ask what he thought of Aretha Franklin's version of Otis' RESPECT.