Erik Ritland
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Janis Joplin’s remarkable, bluesy voice made her one of the most beloved icons of the 1960s. Her grit, passion, and love for life were legendary. With her great successes came great excesses as well, though, which ultimately took her life. So how did Janis Joplin die? Find out below
Who was Janis Joplin?
Janis Joplin, born on January 19, 1943, in Port Arthur, Texas, is one of the most widely recognized rock stars of the 1960s.
Janis Joplin’s Early Life
Joplin’s parents, Dorothy East and Seth Joplin, were a registrar at a business college and an engineer at Texaco, respectively. Her and her two younger siblings, Laura and Michael, grew up in a strictly religious household.
Unsurprisingly, Janis became interested in blues and folk music as a teenager. It would go on to inspire her throughout her music career.
From an early age, Joplin was teased for her looks and ostracized as an outcast. This would later be a reason why she became addicted to drugs and alcohol.
She graduated from high school in 1960. Though she attended Lamar State College of Technology and the University of Texas at Austin, she never attained a college degree.
Instead, she quit school in 1963 and hitchhiked to San Francisco to begin her music career. It was a wise decision.
Janis Joplin’s Career
The “Piece of My Heart” singer began her career with San Francisco-based band Big Brother and the Holding Company. She joined the group in 1966 after being suggested by promoted Chet Helms.
When she joined Big Brother and the Holding Company, Joplin quit using drugs. However, because drugs were everywhere in the scene, she found it hard to get away from them, and began using them again not long after she joined the group.
Big Brother gained popularity quickly, playing prestigious venues like Winterland, the Fillmore, and the Hollywood Bowl. Their self-titled debut was released in 1967, appearing almost in tandem with a legendary performance at the Monterey Pop Festival.
The album included fan favorites like “Down on Me,” “Call on Me,” and “Bye Bye Baby.”
Cheap Thrills, Big Brother’s second album, was their breakout success, including hits like “Piece of My Heart” and “Summertime.”
The jam-y blues rock of Big Brother and the Holding Company fit in with other San Francisco bands of the time, such as the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane. However, Janis Joplin’s star power and gritty, impressive voice made them stand out.
Joplin struck out on her own with 1969’s I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama, which hit #5 on the Billboard album chart and featured hits like “Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)” and “Maybe,” in addition to a cover of the Bee Gees “To Love Somebody.”
Unfortunately, Kozmic Blues would be the last album Janis Joplin would release before her untimely death just over a year after its release.
Related: How Did Jim Morrison Die? The Death of a True Rock Superstar
Janis Joplin’s Substance Abuse Issues
Due partly to a difficult childhood, Janis Joplin found solace in alcohol and drugs. Her drink of choice was Southern Comfort, her drug of choice was heroin.
It’s reported that in the final months of her life, Joplin spent $230 a day (around $1600 today) on her heroin habit. It’d ultimately lead to her demise.
The Last Days of Janis Joplin
In the days before her death, Janis Joplin stayed at the Landmark Motor Hotel in Los Angeles.
On Friday, October 2, 1970, Joplin was supposed to meet with her fiancé Seth Morgan and her close friend and sometimes lover, Peggy Caserta. Though rumors are that they were meeting for a threesome, that has never been confirmed.
Joplin, who was prone to bouts of loneliness, was looking forward to them keeping her company, but they didn’t show up. Both couldn’t make it but assumed the other one would.
On the night of Saturday, October 3, Morgan had a telephone conversation with Joplin, but little is known about it except that it made her angry, according to witnesses.
Caserta called later in the night, but Janis had requested not to receive any more phone calls by the time she did.
She was found dead in her hotel room the following evening.
Related: The 21 Best 60s Songs of All Time: Music That Defined a Decade
How Did Janis Joplin Die?
Janis Joplin died of a heroin overdose on Sunday, October 4, 1970. Her autopsy revealed that she had a fatal amount of heroin in her system, as well as alcohol, which might have also contributed to her death.
Who found Janis Joplin when she died?
Joplin was found dead by her friend and road manager, John Byrne Cooke. He had become concerned when he realized that she hadn’t left her room all day.
Did Janis Joplin really die of a heroin overdose?
Toxicology reports determined that Janis Joplin died of a heroin overdose. Additionally, there were several other overdose victims the same weekend who had the same batch of heroin.
However, her friend Peggy Caserta has a different idea. She also took heroin from the same batch that weekend and didn’t overdose.
Caserta is convinced that Joplin died not of a heroin overdose but from a fall caused by her heels getting snagged on the shag carpet of her hotel room.
So, how did Janis Joplin die? It’s still commonly acknowledged that it was due to the fatal amount of heroin in her system that caused her death.
Related: The Tragic Story of John Lennon’s Demise
What was Janis Joplin’s last words?
Since nobody was with Janis Joplin when she died, we’ll never know Janis Joplin’s last words.
How rich was Janis Joplin when she died?
When she died, Janis Joplin was worth $250,000, or $1.7 million in today’s money.
How old would have Janis Joplin been today?
Janis Joplin was born on January 19, 1943. If she was still alive today, she’d be 80.
Related: What is the 27 Club? A list of Singers and Musicians Who Died at the Age of 27
Who did Janis Joplin marry?
Janis Joplin never got married. Some men she was romantically involved with included Country Joe McDonald (of 60s folk rock band Country Joe and the Fish) and country songwriting legend Kris Kristofferson.
She was dating Seth Morgan, of whom little is known, in the months before she died. They were said to have been engaged.
Who inherited Janis Joplin’s money?
Unlike many celebrities who died young, Janis Joplin had a will. She split her estate between her family, with half going to her parents and a quarter to her two siblings, Michael and Laura.
Did Janis Joplin have any children?
Janis Joplin did not have any children.
How old was Janis Joplin when she died?
Considering that she’s part of the 27 club, it’s no surprise that Janis Joplin was 27 when she died.
Janis Joplin’s Legacy
Janis Joplin will always be remembered for her extraordinary voice, charismatic stage presence, and unique personality.
Most of all, Janis Joplin’s music will continue to endure.
Joplin songs like “Piece of My Heart,” “Ball and Chain,” “Try (Just a Little Bit Harder),” “Maybe,” and “Me and Bobby McGee” will keep her legacy alive as long as there are people to listen to them.
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