Janis Joplin was born in a small town in the state of Texas in 1943. She grew up listening to blues music and she was influenced by blues singers such as Leadbelly and Bessie Smith. When she was a teenager she had severe acne problems and was the victim of mockery at school. She became friends with a group of young musicians and she started singing for their band. She started singing in local bars at the age of 19. In 1963 she left Texas and went to San Francisco to become a star. However she developed an addiction to drugs and had to return to Texas for a cure. In 1966 she joined a psychedelic rock band called Big Brother and the Holding Company. With Janis as lead singer the group had a lot of hits including "Bye Bye Baby" and "Call on me". In 1968 she made her most famous song "Piece of my heart" with the band before venturing on a solo career. She made her most famous album "Pearls" in 1970, on which she sang the song "Mercedes Benz", a critique of the consumer society.

However Janis liked parties, alcohol and drugs a bit too much and this affected her health. The talented young singer died of a drug overdose in Los Angeles in 1970. She was only 27 years old. She wasn't married and she didn't have children

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