Janis Joplin was born on 19th January 1943. She was best known as a songwriter, music arranger and singer. She was the frontwoman of Big Brother and the Holding Company in the 1960s before turning to a solo career. Rolling Stone magazine rated Janis Joplin at No. 46 in their list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time in 2004 and again at No. 28 in the 2008 list of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Although Janis Joplin’s career was short, it was certainly sweet. Her wild 60s existence and notorious singing style has earned her iconic and immortal status in the history pages of rock and roll.

In 1966, Joplin was invited to flower-child invaded San Francisco to audition for a local band called Big Brother and the Holding Company. The band was successful in creating sufficient buzz to join the lineup for the legendary 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival.

During the set, the band stunned crowds with a rendition of “Ball and Chain” which was a mix of piercing, psychedelic guitar and Joplin’s soulful, blues-inspired vocals.

Shortly after, Big Brother and the Holding Company acquired a three album deal with Columbia Records. Its first release was Cheap Thrills in 1968 and almost immediately went gold thanks to the help of killer singles, “Piece of My Heart” and “Summertime”. Joplin was given top billing with the band and started commanding large audiences and even larger pay cheques. Even US magazine, TIME, said she was “the most powerful singer to emerge from the white rock movement.” Joplin split with Big Brother by the end of 1968.

In 1969, she released an album called “I Got Dem ‘Ol Kozmic Blues Again, Mama”. The album met with praise in the European markets.

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Meanwhile, Joplin recognized the damage of her ever-increasing drug use and vowed to quit. Sources say she was shooting approximately $200 worth of heroin per day. She formed a new band, Full Tilt Boogie Band, and began recording her next album to be titled Pearl.

Unfortunately, her efforts to kick the drug habits failed and she accidentally overdosed on heroin while staying in Los Angeles at mere age of 27.

Pearl was released after her death in 1971 and met widespread critical acclaim. The album produced several popular songs including “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Mercedes Benz”.

Joplin is considered the first legitimate female rock star and her breaking with tradition has opened doors to new genres and opportunities for women lead singers. She has an eternal place with the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain within popular culture’s “27 club” which is a list of influential musicians that died at the age of 27, often under mysterious circumstances.

Her rebellious and liberated public image has been re-created in various movies including the 1979 film, The Rose, starring Bette Midler. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and was awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.

Juanita Appleby

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Rock sensation The Doors were established in 1965 in Los Angeles, California. The original line-up consisted of Jim Morrison (vocals), Ray Manzarek (keyboard), John Densmore (drums) and Robby Krieger (guitar).

The band released their eponymous debut album in 1967. The album featured the 11 minute musical opus ‘The End’ which was famously used in Francis Ford Coppola’s movie ‘Apocalypse Now’. The first single release from the album was ‘Break On Through (To The Other Side)’. The album also features the full seven minute version of ‘Light My Fire’, which reached Number One in the US charts. Deemed too long for radio play, stations played a heavily-edited three minute version, much to the band’s disapproval. The song has been covered by artists such as Shirley Bassey, José Feliciano and Massive Attack.

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Jim Morrison captured the public's imagination through his unpredictable stage performances and cryptic lyrics. He passed away in Paris on 3rd July 1971. Many theories surround his death – some say he died over a heroin overdose, whilst others maintain he had a respiratory disease, causing him to choke to death on his own blood. Morrison fans of all ages gather to pay tribute at his grave in the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris. After his demise The Doors continued as a three-piece but parted in 1973, arguably exhausting the thought of the band continuing without their flamboyant frontman.

The band have sold more than 32 million albums in the United States alone. They are ranked #41 in the list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time conducted by Rolling Stone Magazine. Likewise, the VH1’s 100 Greatest Hard Rock Artists poll put the band at #32 and band’s biggest hit ‘Light My Fire’ came in at #7 in VH1’s Greatest Rock Songs.

Members included James Douglas (Jim) Morrison, born Dec. 8, 1943, in Melbourne, Fla., died July 3, 1971, in Paris, France; Education: attended UCLA, c. 1965. Robert Krieger, born Jan. 8, 1946, in Los Angeles, Calif. Raymond Manzarek, born Feb. 12, 1943, in Chicago, 111.; Education: attended UCLA, c. 1965. John Densmore, born Dec. 1, 1945, in Los Angeles, Calif.

The Doors formed group, 1965; began appearing on the Sunset Strip, Los Angeles, Calif., 1965-66; signed by Elektra Records, 1966; released first album The Doors, 1967 (hit single "Light My Fire" became a Number 1 hit); released several subsequent gold and platinum albums and singles, 1967-71; Morrison died of heart attack, 1971; the group disbanded, 1973.

Albums:

The Doors, Elektra, 1967.

Strange Days, Elektra, 1967.

Waiting for the Sun, Elektra, 1968.

The Soft Parade, Elektra, 1969.

Morrison Hotel, Elektra, 1970.

Absolutely Live, 1970.

L.A. Woman, Elektra, 1971.

Other Voices, Elektra, 1971.

Full Circle, Elektra, 1972.

An American Prayer, Elektra, 1978.

Alive, She Cried, 1983.

Live at the Hollywood Bowl, 1987.

In Concert, 1991.

Sources: David Collins

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