Summertime - Janis Joplin

Janis Lyn Joplin (January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970) was an American singer and songwriter from Port Arthur, Texas. As a youth Joplin was ridiculed by her fellow students due to her unconventional appearance and personal beliefs, she later sang about her experience at school through her song "Ego Rock".

Early in her life, Joplin cultivated a rebellious and unconventional lifestyle, becoming a beatnik poet. She began her singing career as a folk and blues singer in San Francisco, playing clubs and bars with her guitar and auto-harp. A heavy drinker all of her life, her favorite drink was Southern Comfort.

Joplin first rose to prominence in the late 1960s as the lead singer of the psychedelic-acid rock band Big Brother and the Holding Company, and later as a solo artist with her more soulful and bluesy backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band.

Janis Joplin's hits and other popular songs from throughout her short four year career include "Down On Me", "Bye, Bye Baby", "Summertime", "Piece of My Heart", "Ball 'n' Chain", "Try Just A Little Bit Harder", "Maybe", "To Love Somebody", "Kozmic Blues", "Work Me, Lord", "Move Over", "Cry Baby", "Get It While You Can", "My Baby", "Trust Me", "Mercedes Benz", "One Night Stand" and her only number one hit, "Me and Bobby McGee".

At the height of her career, she was known as "The Queen of Rock and Roll" as well as "The Queen of Psychedelic Soul". She was also a painter, dancer and music arranger.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Joplin number 46 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time in 2004, and number 28 on its 2008 list of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time
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