Joplin, Janis (Lyn) (1943–1970)

US blues and rock singer. She sang with the San Francisco group Big Brother and the Holding Company 1966–68. Together they appeared at the Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967, and recorded the album Cheap Thrills in 1968, which included the legendary ‘Ball and Chain’. Joplin then embarked on a solo career, releasing I've Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! in 1969 and touring extensively. Her biggest hit, ‘Me and Bobby McGee’, written by Kris Kristofferson, was released on the posthumous Pearl album (1971). Among her other solo tracks are ‘Down on Me’ and ‘Cry Baby’, which are collected in the 1993 anthology Janis.

Joplin was born in Port Arthur, Texas. She sang in coffee houses in Texas and San Francisco, accompanied by an acoustic guitar, before joining Big Brother. She died of a heroin overdose and was inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.