The Life and Career of Janis Joplin

here in our music you might obviously
get into it feel it enjoy it that’s what
it’s all about this female vocalist is
consistently counted as one of the best
artists of all time welcome to
watchmojo.com and today we’ll be
learning more about the life and career
of Janis Joplin
born January 14 1943 in Port Arthur
Texas Janis Joplin grew up as a
self-described misfit how are you
different from your schoolmates when you
were in TJ I don’t know want to ask them
it was her fellow outcasts who
originally introduced her to the music
of Lead Belly and Bessie Smith she
credited these african-american blues
artists as being part of her inspiration
you become a singer Billie Holiday
Aretha Franklin they are so subtle they
could they can milk you with two notes
they can’t go they could go no farther
from a negative B and they could make
you feel like they told you the whole
universe Joplin moved to San Francisco
in 1963 it was there she met up with
future Jefferson Airplane guitarist
Jorma Kaukonen and the pair recorded
several blues standards together this
period also saw an increase in Joplin’s
drug and alcohol use my advice is
everyone come to California I’ll buy you
a drink
worried friends convinced the singer to
return to her hometown she finally
agreed however she continued to practice
the blues vocals that eventually got her
noticed by rock band Big Brother and the
Holding Company Joplin officially joined
the psychedelic rockers in June 1966 I
got in the band just because of there
were my friends and the scene I was
happening was all my scene and my people
it was a familial thing you know I
didn’t set out to be a singer that came
after I was already a singer by 1967 the
band’s self-titled debut album was ready
for release by Columbia Records just two
months after their breakthrough
performance at the Monterey Pop Festival
well huh as the band began receiving
more media attention the spotlight was
primarily on Joplin and this created
tensions within Big Brother do you have
any explanation why you’re so popular
the band sophomore record chief thrills
was released in August 1968
soon after Joplin and now she was
leaving the band and following some fall
tour dates she played her last
performance with Big Brother and the
Holding Company in December of 1968 as
she embarked on her solo career Joplin
formed a backup band called the cosmic
blues band that helped underline her
funky blues style
the cosmic blues album came out in
September 1969 to mixed reviews by this
time Joplin was heavily addicted to
heroin the group did manage to tour
Europe and North America for a few
months including a stop at Woodstock in
August the band broke up at the end of
the year by May 1970 Joplin was already
touring with her new band The Full Tilt
boogie band Joplin and Full Tilt joined
the Canadian leg of the festival Express
tour later that year playing next to
such acts as the Grateful Dead
the band and Rick Danko Joplin’s last
public set with Full Tilt was in Boston
on August 12 1970 the next month the
band began recording what would
ultimately be Joplin’s final album pearl
was released posthumously in 1971 as a
compilation of the songs Joplin was able
to finish prior to her death on Sunday
October 4th 1970 Joplin was scheduled to
record the vocal track for the song
buried alive in the blues the band’s
road manager became concerned when she
failed to show up for the session Joplin
was later found dead in her room at the
landmark Motor Hotel the official cause
of death was a heroin overdose which may
have been aggravated by alcohol despite
her short career and untimely death
Joplin’s legacy is still going strong
today what is it you think young people
are looking for today
sincerity and a good time are they
finding it I know about you daddy
I’m fine at least I’m having a good time
baby
I wanna welcome at home