60s and 70s in Music: Janis Joplin Biography

1. Known by many as the First Lady of Rock 'n'

Roll or simply as Pearl, Janis Joplin rose to
fame in the late 1960s and was known for her
powerful, blues-inspired vocals.

2. Janis Lyn Joplin was born on January 19,

1943, in Port Arthur, Texas. Joplin sang in her
church choir as a child and showed some
promise as a performer. She was an only child
until the age of 6, when her sister, Laura, was
born. Four years later, her brother, Michael,
arrived. She rejected the popular girls'
fashions of the late 50s, choosing to wear
men's shirts and tights, or short skirts.

3. Janis Joplin and her friends were interested in

blues and jazz, admiring artists like Lead Belly.
Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey and Odetta, an early
leading figure in the folk music movement. The
alamy.es group frequented local working-class bars in
the nearby town of Vinton, Louisiana.

4. In 1962, Joplin attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied art. In Austin,
Joplin began performing at folksings—casual musical gatherings where anyone can perform—
on campus and at Threadgill's with the Waller Creek Boys, a musical trio, friends of her. With
her forceful singing style, Joplin amazed many audience members. She was completely
different to any other white female vocalist at the time (folk icons like Joan Baez and Judy Collins
were known for their soft sound). However, she wouldn’t make it into the industry until 4 years
later.

5. In May 1966, Joplin was recruited by friend Travis Rivers to audition for a new psychedelic rock
called Big Brother and the Holding Company. Joplin blew the band away during her audition,
so she was offered membership into the group. In her early days with Big Brother, she sang
only a few songs and played the tambourine in the background. But it wasn't long before Joplin
assumed a bigger role in the band, as Big Brother developed quite a following in the Bay Area.
6. Their appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967—specifically their version of "Ball and
Chain" (originally made famous by R&B legend Big Mama Thornton) increased greatly the
group’s popularity. Two years later, Big Brother's album Cheap Thrills was a huge hit. While
the album was wildly successful— featuring songs like "Piece of My Heart" and
"Summertime"—creating it had been a challenging process, causing a lot of problems between
Joplin and band's other members. Joplin’s bandmates had been like a family to her, but she
eventually decided to part ways with the group. She played with Big Brother for the last time in
December 1968.

7. Feeling uniquely pressured to prove herself as a female solo artist in a male-dominated

industry, the criticism was hard for Joplin. Following a long struggle with substance abuse,
Joplin died from an accidental heroin overdose on October 4, 1970, at Hollywood's Landmark
Hotel. Completed by Joplin's producer, her album Pearl was released in 1971 and quickly
became a hit. The single "Me and Bobby McGee," written by Kris Kristofferson, a former love
of Joplin's, reached the top of the charts.

8. Despite her untimely death, Janis Joplin's songs continue to attract new fans and inspire
performers. Numerous collections of her songs have been released over the years, including
In Concert (1971) and Box of Pearls (1999). In recognition of her significant accomplishments,
Joplin was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and honored
with a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammy Awards in 2005.

Taken from https://www.biography.com ; adapted by Michael Malagon.

TASKS:

1. There are some words found on the text 3. Find three (3) different phrasal verbs (two- part
in the section below. Write an appropriate verbs) in the text. Write them and write down
synonym for them: where you found them.

a. vocalist: EX: … make it into the industry … (par.4)

b. perform:
c. former: a. _______________________________
d. membership:
_______________________________
e. challenging:
f. struggle: b. _______________________________
g. single: _______________________________
c. _______________________________
2. What kinds of music did Janis like to sing?
______________________________ _______________________________
______________________________