Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin was a blues rock musician best known for being the lead vocalist for Big Brother and the Holding Company, although she had some success after leaving them. She was originally from Texas, but came to California after being socially isolated in her home state. With Big Brother she was a part of the Haight-Ashbury sound that was going around at the time, even performing at the Monterey Pop Festival of 1967. Big Brother was established in the San Francisco Bay Area, making them a local band. It was with them that she had all her hits, although they are usually simply credited to only her. Joplin famously performed at the Woodstock Festival of 1969. Despite most of her success coming from her work with Big Brother, only Joplin was inducted, although Big Brother has also been considered by the Hall. Joplin's final song was Mercedes-Benz, recorded only a few days before she died at the age of 27. She is a member of the "27 Club", which also includes Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Holly, and Jim Morrison of The Doors. This would later become an obsession for Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, leading to his ultimate suicide. Some of Joplin's hits, with and without Big Brother, have become classic rock staples.