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Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin (1943–1970) was a Texas-born rock and blues singer whose voice lives on in Cheap Thrills, Pearl and estate-led archival releases.

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Janis’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus her backstory and Starbook, where fans write.

Known for

Overview

Born: January 19, 1943 · Port Arthur, Texas
Died: October 4, 1970 · Age 27
Work: Singer and songwriter
Breakout: Monterey Pop Festival, 1967
Bands: Big Brother & the Holding Company; Kozmic Blues Band; Full Tilt Boogie Band

Mini bio

How it started.

Growing up in Port Arthur, Janis listened to Lead Belly, Bessie Smith and Big Mama Thornton. She sang folk music with friends and painted, then headed to San Francisco in 1963. She returned to Texas before joining Big Brother & the Holding Company in 1966.

The breakthrough.

Monterey Pop in June 1967 brought her to a wider audience. With Big Brother, she recorded Cheap Thrills, including “Piece of My Heart,” “Summertime” and “Ball and Chain.” Her solo work continued with the Kozmic Blues Band and then the Full Tilt Boogie Band.

The voice on record.

Janis died on October 4, 1970, aged 27. Pearl arrived posthumously on January 11, 1971, and “Me and Bobby McGee” became a US number-one single. Today, her official channels share recordings, photographs and news about projects celebrating her life.

Creditschronological, newest first

1971PearlLead vocalist, backed by the Full Tilt Boogie Band
1971Mercedes BenzSinger and co-writer with Bob Neuwirth and Michael McClure
1971Me and Bobby McGeeSinger; written by Fred Foster and Kris Kristofferson
1969I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama!Lead vocalist, backed by the Kozmic Blues Band
1968Cheap ThrillsVocalist with Big Brother & the Holding Company

Awards

Quotes

Our record is a success story in itself.Janis Joplin, letter to her parents, quoted by Holly George-Warren

Writing after the success of Cheap Thrills in 1968, she shared her excitement about the record and buying a Porsche.

Trivia

The Typewriter Tape gets its name from Margareta Kaukonen’s typing, heard during Janis’s recordings with Jorma Kaukonen.
Before her music career took off, she enrolled as a sociology student at Lamar University.
Her psychedelic Porsche sold at auction for $1.76 million in 2015.