Janis Joplin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Janis Joplin
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Joplin in 1970
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Janis Lyn Joplin
January 19, 1943 Port Arthur, Texas, U.S.
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| Died | October 4, 1970 (aged 27) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Years active | 1962–1970 |
| Labels | Columbia Records |
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Janis Lyn Joplin (born January 19, 1943 – died October 4, 1970) was an amazing American rock singer and songwriter. She became one of the most famous female rock stars of her time. Janis released three albums during her life. Sadly, she passed away at the age of 27. A fourth album, called Pearl, came out a few months after her death in 1971. It quickly became a number one hit on the music charts.
Janis Joplin was honored after her death by being added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. Rolling Stone magazine listed her as one of the greatest artists and singers of all time. She was even called "The Queen of Rock" by NPR. Janis Joplin remains one of the best-selling musicians in the United States. She has sold over 18.5 million albums.
Contents
Janis Joplin's Early Life
Janis Lyn Joplin was born in Port Arthur, Texas. Her mother, Dorothy, worked at a business college. Her father, Seth, was an engineer. Janis had two younger siblings, Michael and Laura. Her family belonged to the Churches of Christ.
Janis shared that she had a tough time in high school. She was bullied by other students. They would often make fun of her. Janis once said, "I was a misfit. I read, I painted, I thought." This shows she was a creative and thoughtful person.
After graduating high school in 1960, Janis went to college. She attended Lamar State College of Technology and later the University of Texas at Austin. However, she did not finish her college studies. While at the University of Texas, she sang with a folk music group called the Waller Creek Boys.
Janis Joplin's Music Career
Janis Joplin became very famous in 1967. This happened at the Monterey Pop Festival. At the time, she was the lead singer for a band called Big Brother and the Holding Company. They were not very well-known before this festival.
After making two albums with Big Brother and the Holding Company, Janis decided to sing on her own. She formed her own bands. First, she had the Kozmic Blues Band. Later, she formed the Full Tilt Boogie Band.
Janis Joplin had five songs that made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 music chart. Her cover of "Me and Bobby McGee" was a huge hit. It reached number one in March 1971. Some of her other popular songs include "Piece of My Heart" and "Cry Baby". She also sang "Down on Me" and "Summertime". Her original song "Mercedes Benz" was her very last recording.
Janis is remembered for her incredibly strong and unique voice. Her singing style was very different from other singers back then. She often sang about feelings of pain and loss in her songs.
Janis Joplin's Albums and Songs
Janis Joplin recorded four albums during her short four-year career. The first two albums were with Big Brother and the Holding Company. The last two were solo albums with her new bands. After her death, more albums were released. These included songs she had recorded but not yet released. They also had live performances.
Studio Albums
With Big Brother and the Holding Company
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications |
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| Big Brother & the Holding Company |
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60 | |
| Cheap Thrills |
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1 |
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As a Solo Artist
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||||||||
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AUS |
CAN |
GER |
ITA |
NL |
NOR |
POR |
UK |
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| I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! |
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5 | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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| Pearl |
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1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 83 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 20 | |
Popular Singles
Songs with Big Brother and the Holding Company
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||
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CAN |
FRA |
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| "Down on Me" | 1967 | 43 | — | — | Big Brother & the Holding Company | |
| "Coo Coo" | 1968 | 84 | — | — | ||
| "Piece of My Heart" | 1968 | 12 | 9 | 50 |
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Cheap Thrills |
Solo Songs
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||
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CAN |
FRA |
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| "Kozmic Blues" | 1969 | 41 | — | — | 33 | 136 | — | — | — | I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! | |
| "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)" | 1970 | — | — | — | 89 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Maybe" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Me and Bobby McGee" | 1971 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 6 | — | 8 | 11 | 3 |
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Pearl |
| "Cry Baby" | 42 | — | — | 22 | — | — | 12 | — | |||
| "Get It While You Can" | 78 | — | — | 51 | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Down on Me" | 1972 | 91 | — | — | 74 | — | — | — | — | In Concert | |
The Final Days of Janis Joplin
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Janis Joplin passed away on October 4, 1970, in Los Angeles, California. She was 27 years old. After her death, her body was cremated. Her ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean. This is a special type of burial at sea.
Her final album, Pearl, was released just six weeks after she died. It became a huge success. The movie The Rose, starring Bette Midler, was inspired by Janis Joplin's life.
Images for kids
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Janis Joplin (seated) with her band, Big Brother and the Holding Company, around 1966–1967. Photo by Bob Seidemann.
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Janis Joplin singing with Tom Jones on his TV show in late 1969.
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A newspaper review from 1969 about Janis Joplin's concert in Columbus, Ohio. It mentions she watched the audience arrive before the show.
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Janis Joplin in 1969, photographed by Jim Marshall. This was one year before she passed away.
See also
In Spanish: Janis Joplin para niños
