Janis Joplin
Among her last public appearances were two broadcasts of The Dick Cavett Show. In the June 25, 1970 appearance, she announced that she would attend her ten-year high school class reunion. When asked if she were popular in school, she admitted that when in high school, her schoolmates "laughed me out of class, out of town and out of the state."[14] In the August 3, 1970 Cavett broadcast, Joplin referred to her upcoming performance at the Festival for Peace to be held at Shea Stadium in Queens, New York on August 6, 1970.
Joplin attended the reunion on August 14, accompanied by fellow musician and friend Bob Neuwirth and road manager John Cooke, but it reportedly proved to be a rather unhappy experience for her.[15] Joplin held a press conference in Port Arthur during her reunion visit. Interviewed by Rolling Stone journalist Chet Flippo, she was reported to wear enough jewelry for a "Babylonian whore."[4] When asked by a reporter during the reunion if Joplin entertained at Thomas Jefferson High School when she was a student there, Joplin replied, "Only when I walked down the aisles."[2][3] Joplin and her mother, Dorothy, had bitter words during Joplin's visit. Dorothy Joplin lashed out at her daughter and said, "I wish you'd never been born!" during a particularly contentious altercation between the two.[2] Joplin attempted to denigrate Port Arthur and the people who'd humiliated her a decade earlier in high school, but her attempts backfired and made her visit an outright fiasco.[2]
Joplin's last public performance, with the Full Tilt Boogie Band, took place on August 12, 1970 at the Harvard Stadium in Boston, Massachusetts. A positive review appeared on the front page of the Harvard Crimson newspaper despite the fact that Full Tilt Boogie performed with makeshift sound amplifiers after their regular equipment was stolen in Boston.[6]
During September 1970, Joplin and her band began recording a new album in Los Angeles with producer Paul A. Rothchild, who had produced recordings for The Doors. Although Joplin died before all the tracks were fully completed, there was still enough usable material to compile an LP. "Mercedes Benz" was included despite it being a first take, and the track "Buried Alive In The Blues", to which Joplin had been scheduled to add her vocals on the day she was found dead, was kept as an instrumental.
The result was the posthumously released Pearl (1971). It became the biggest selling album of her career[12] and featured her biggest hit single, a cover of Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee", as well as the social commentary of the a cappella "Mercedes Benz", written by Joplin, close friend and song writer Bob Neuwirth and beat poet Michael McClure. In 2003, Pearl was ranked #122 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
During the recording sessions for Pearl, Joplin began seeing Seth Morgan, a 21 year-old Berkeley student, cocaine dealer and future novelist;[2][4][5] and checked into the Landmark Motel in Los Angeles to begin recording the Pearl album.[2][4][6] She and Morgan became engaged to be married in early September[3] and Joplin threw herself into the recording of songs for her new album.
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Death
The last recordings Joplin completed were "Mercedes Benz" and a birthday greeting for John Lennon ("Happy Trails", composed by Dale Evans) on October 1, 1970. Lennon, whose birthday was October 9, later told Dick Cavett that her taped greeting arrived at his home after her death.[citation needed] On Saturday, October 3, Joplin visited the Sunset Sound Studios[4] in Los Angeles to listen to the instrumental track for Nick Gravenites' song "Buried Alive In The Blues" prior to recording the vocal track, scheduled for the next day.[10] When she failed to show up at the studio by Sunday afternoon, producer Paul Rothchild became concerned. Full Tilt Boogie's road manager, John Cooke, drove to the Landmark Motor Hotel (since renamed the Highland Gardens Hotel) where Joplin had been a guest since August 24.[16] He saw Joplin's psychedelically painted Porsche still in the parking lot. Upon entering her room, he found her dead on the floor. The official cause of death was an overdose of heroin, possibly combined with the effects of alcohol.
Joplin was cremated in the Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Mortuary in Los Angeles, and her ashes scattered from a plane into the Pacific Ocean and along Stinson Beach. The only funeral service was held at Pierce Brothers and attended by Joplin's parents and maternal aunt.[17]
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Legacy
Joplin's body decoration, with a wristlet and a small heart on her left breast, by the San Francisco tattoo artist Lyle Tuttle, is taken as a seminal moment in the tattoo revolution and was an early moment in the popular culture's acceptance of tattoos as art.[18] Another trademark was her flamboyant hair styles, often including colored streaks and accessories such as scarves, beads and feathers.
The 1979 film, The Rose, was loosely based on Joplin's life.[19] Bette Midler earned an Academy Award nomination as Best Actress for her performance.
In the late 1990s, the musical play Love, Janis was created with input from Janis' younger sister Laura plus Big Brother guitarist Sam Andrew, with an aim to take it to Off-Broadway.[20] Opening in the summer of 2001 and scheduled for only a few weeks of performances, the show won acclaim and packed houses and was held over several times, the demanding role of the singing Janis attracting rock vocalists from relative unknowns to pop stars Laura Branigan (1957-2004) and Beth Hart.[20] A national tour followed. Gospel According to Janis, a biographical film starring Zooey Deschanel as Joplin was scheduled to begin shooting in early 2007 but was postponed indefinitely.[21]
In 1988, the Janis Joplin Memorial, with an original bronze, multi-image sculpture of Joplin by Douglas Clark, was dedicated in Port Arthur, Texas.
Joplin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, and was given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005. Among the artifacts at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum Exhibition are Joplin's scarf and necklaces, her 1965 Cabriolet Porsche with psychedelically designed painting, and an acid sheet designed by Robert Crumb, designer of the Cheap Thrills cover.[22]
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Joplin in film and song
- The Mamas & the Papas wrote a song about Janis Joplin entitled "Pearl", and released it as part of their 1971 album, People Like Us.
- Joplin's premature death is the subject of Dory Previn's song "A Stone for Bessie Smith", which appears on Previn's 1971 album Mythical Kings and Iguanas. The lyric sheet of this record refers to a televised conversation between Joplin and actress Gloria Swanson.
- In the 2007 movie Across the Universe, a Joplin-like character is portrayed as Sadie, played by Dana Fuchs.
- In the 2009 film Lives and Deaths of the Poets, Janis Joplin is portrayed by Terria Monay.
- "In the Quiet Morning" by Joan Baez recounts the moment the folk singer heard the news about Joplin's death.
- Leonard Cohen's song "Chelsea Hotel #2", with the line "You told me again you preferred handsome men but for me you would make an exception", was inspired by his brief affair with Joplin.[23]
- The Grateful Dead wrote "Bird Song" inspired by Janis. The first two lines being "All I know is something like a bird within her sang. All I know she sang a little while and then flew on". The songs lyricist Robert Hunter included the dedication "...for Janis" with the lyric in his book "Box of Rain".
- Don McLean alludes to Janis Joplin in his song "American Pie" with the lines "I met a girl who sang the blues / And I asked her for some happy news, / But she just smiled and turned away".
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Discography
Janis Joplin & Jorma Kaukonen
| Title | Release date | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Typewriter Tape | 1964 | bootleg recording |
Big Brother and the Holding Company
| Title | Release date | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Brother & the Holding Company | 1967 | Mainstream Records | |
| Big Brother & the Holding Company | 1967? | Columbia | Contains 2 extra single tracks |
| Big Brother & the Holding Company | 1967, CD 1999 | Columbia Legacy CK66425 | Contains 2 extra single tracks |
| Cheap Thrills | 1968 | Columbia | 2x Multi-Platinum RIAA |
| Cheap Thrills | 1968, CD 1999 | Legacy CK65784 | Contains 4 extra tracks |
| Live at Winterland '68 | 1998 | Columbia Legacy | ASIN: B000007TSP |
Kozmic Blues Band
| Title | Release date | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! | 1969 | Columbia | Platinum RIAA |
| I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! | 1969, CD 1999 | Legacy CK65785 | Contains 3 extra tracks |
Full Tilt Boogie
| Title | Release date | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pearl | 1971 | Columbia | posthumous, 4x Multi-Platinum RIAA |
| Pearl | 1971, CD unknown date | Columbia CD64188 | |
| Pearl | 1971, CD 1999 | Legacy CK65786 | Contains 4 extra tracks |
| Pearl | 1971, 2CD 2005 | Legacy COL 515134 2 | CD1 - 6 other extra tracks CD2 - full selection from The Festival Express Tour, 3 venues |
Big Brother & the Holding Company / Full Tilt Boogie
| Title | Release date | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joplin: In Concert | 1972 | Legacy CK65786 | ASIN: B0000024Y7 |
Later collections
| Title | Release date | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Janis Joplin's Greatest Hits | 1973 | Columbia | ASIN B00000K2W1, 7x Multi-Platinum RIAA |
| Janis | 1975 | CBS | 2 discs, Gold RIAA |
| Anthology | 1980 | 2 discs | |
| Farewell Song | 1983 | Columbia Records | ASIN: B000W44S8E |
| Cheaper Thrills | 1984 | Fan Club | ASIN: B000LYA9X8 |
| Janis | 1993 | Columbia Legacy | 3 discs - ASIN: B00000286P |
| 18 Essential Songs | 1995 | Columbia Legacy | ASIN: B000002B1A, Gold RIAA |
| The Collection | 1995 | 3 Discs | ASIN: B000BM6ATW |
| Live at Woodstock: August 19, 1969 | 1999 | ||
| Box of Pearls | 1999 | Sony Legacy | 5 Discs - ASIN: B0009YNSK6 |
| Super Hits | 2000 | Sony | ASIN: B00004T1E6 |
| Love, Janis | 2001 | Sony | ASIN: B00005EBIN |
| Essential Janis Joplin | 2003 | Sony | ASIN: B00007MB6Y |
| Very Best of Janis Joplin | 2007 | Import | ASIN: B000026A35 |
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See also
- Music of Austin
- List of number-one hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
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References
- ^ The Immortals: The First Fifty. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Echols, Alice (2000-02-15). Scars of Sweet Paradise: The Life and Times of Janis Joplin. Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 0805053948.
- ^ a b c d e f g Jacobson, Laurie (October 1984). Hollywood Heartbreak: The Tragic and Mysterious Deaths of Hollywood's Most Remarkable Legends. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 067149998X.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Amburn, Ellis (October 1992). Pearl: The Obsessions and Passions of Janis Joplin : A Biography. Time Warner. ISBN 0446516406.
- ^ a b c d e f g Caserta, Peggy (October 1980). Going Down With Janis. Dell Publishing. ISBN 0440131944.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Friedman, Myra (1992-09-15). Buried Alive: The Biography of Janis Joplin. Crown Publishing Group. ISBN 0517586509.
- ^ a b Hendrickson, Paul (1998-05-05). Janis Joplin: A Cry Cutting Through Time. The Washington Post. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
- ^ Paytress, Mark (March 1994), “Janis Joplin. Mark Paytress assesses Columbia's three-CD 'Janis' retrospective”, Record Collector 175: 140–141
- ^ a b Janis Joplin Discography. Janis Joplin. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Dalton, David (1991-08-21). Piece Of My Heart. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0306804468.
- ^ Janis Joplin Concert Dates - 1968. Janis Joplin. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
- ^ a b c d Rosen, Craig (May 1996). The Billboard Book of Number One Albums: The Inside Story Behind Pop Music's Blockbuster Records. Billboard. ISBN 0823075869.
- ^ Janis Joplin Concert Dates - 1970. Janis Joplin. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
- ^ "Dick Cavett TV. Interview (1970)". The Dick Cavett Show. 1970-08-03.
- ^ Miller, Danny (2007-01-19). Happy Birthday, Janis Joplin. Huffington Post. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald Examiner October 5, 1970, front page.
- ^ Joplin, Laura (2005-08-16). Love, Janis. HarperCollins. ISBN 0060755229.
- ^ Acord, Deb. "Who knew: Mommy has a tattoo", Portland Press Herald, 2006-11-10.
- ^ Maltin, Leonard (2002-09-24). Leonard Maltin's 2003 Movie And Video Guide. Plume. ISBN 0452283299.
- ^ a b Love, Janis Loses Another Star: Branigan Out. GeoCities. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
- ^ Gospel According to Janis at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Janis Joplin. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
- ^ Chelsea Hotel # 2 (1972-1993). Orange. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
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Further reading
- Amburn, Ellis. Pearl: The Obsessions and Passions of Janis Joplin: A Biography. NY: Warner Books, 1992. ISBN 0-446-39506-4.
- Caserta, Peggy. Going Down with Janis: Janis Joplin's Intimate Story. Dell: 1974. ASIN: B000NSBNMI.
- Dalton, David. Piece of my Heart: A Portrait of Janis Joplin. NY: Da Capo Press, 1991. ISBN 0-306-80446-8.
- Echols, Alice. Scars of Sweet Paradise: The Life and Times of Janis Joplin. NY: Henry Holt, 1999. ISBN 0-8050-5394-8.
- Friedman, Myra. (1992). Buried Alive: The Biography of Janis Joplin. NY: Harmony Books. ISBN 0-517-58650-9.
- Joplin, Laura. Love, Janis. NY: Villard Books, 1992. ISBN 1-888358-08-4.
- Stieven-Taylor, Alison. Rock Chicks. Sydney: Rockpool Publishing, 2007. ISBN 9781921295065.
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Samples
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"Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)" From ''I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama! "Me and Bobby McGee" - Problems playing the files? See media help.
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External links
- Official website by the Joplin estate
- Janis Joplin at the Internet Movie Database
- Janis Joplin at All Music Guide
- Janis Joplin at Find A Grave
- Janis Joplin biography at Fyne Times
- Biography at The Handbook of Texas Online
- JohnGilmore.com: Spotlight on Janis Joplin
- Janis Joplin's Kozmic Blues - janisjoplin.net
- Canadian Classic Rock Page: The Full Tilt Boogie Band
- Janis Joplin – Museum of the Gulf Coast, Port Arthur, Texas
- Janis Joplin at the 1968 Newport Folk Festival Twelve photographs of Janis Joplin in performance by Bruce Jackson.
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Joplin, Janis |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Joplin, Janis Lyn |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | American musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 19, 1943 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Port Arthur, Texas, United States |
| DATE OF DEATH | October 4, 1970 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Los Angeles, California, United States |
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