Janis Joplin (1943-1970) gets a long-overdue definitive biography by an author who not only understands the music industry in the 1960s and early 1970s, but also has a firm grasp on the creative and emotional life of America's first female rock star. Music biographer Holly George-Warren's (The Road to Woodstock) vital, fascinating and deeply personal biography benefits greatly from interviews with Joplin's siblings, former bandmates and crew. Joplin's career ran just four years (she joined the established rock band Big Brother and the Holding Company in June 1966 and died of a heroin overdose in October 1970). But her husky, emotional and explosive voice, and her steely determination to steer her own career continue to influence new generations of singers.
Ignored or ridiculed in high school, Joplin found her voice and flamboyant fashion sense when she moved to San Francisco and embraced the proverbial rocker lifestyle of sex, drugs and rock and roll. Openly bisexual, Joplin's sexual relations were numerous but usually emotionally unsatisfying. Her huge appetite for alcohol and heroin were as strong as her musical drive. "The mix of confident musicianship, brash sexuality, and natural exuberance, locked together to produce America's first female rock star," writes George-Warren. Months before her death, Joplin said music was the one aspect of her life that had never let her down.
Although her life was brief, Joplin lived it with gusto. Readers will be enthralled by her adventures and her subversion of the men-only music industry. This compelling and inspiring biography captures Joplin's complex personality and immense talent. --Kevin Howell, independent reviewer and marketing consultant