Marking Her First Live Performance with Big Brother & The Holding Company – June 10, 1966, Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
The critically acclaimed Broadway musical, A Night With Janis Joplin, is touring the U.S.
Museum exhibition at the Museu da Imagem e do Som in São Paulo, Brazil. This unprecedented exhibition “Janis” features over 300 items and runs from April 16 to July 27.
Janis Joplin: Buried Alive in the Blues – a graphic novel written by Eric Gladstone and illustrated by Marika Cresta in partnership with Sumerian Comics.
Brand-new music video for “Call On Me.” Watch HERE.
Photography exhibition with Morrison Hotel Gallery in Los Angeles and New York City on August 13th.
Much more to be announced.
New York, NY – April 21, 2026 – Big Brother & the Holding Company auditioned several lead singers – until Janis. She “knocked us out, instantaneously,” Dave Getz said, and Big Brother welcomed her into the band. In 1966, Janis Joplin joined San Francisco psychedelic rock band Big Brother & the Holding Company, emerging at the heart of the Haight-Ashbury counterculture movement. Formed in 1965, the band – Peter Albin, Sam Andrew, Dave Getz, and James Gurley – had been searching for a vocalist who could rise to the intensity of their raw, experimental sound. Joplin proved to be that voice. Janis strolled onstage on Friday, June 10, 1966, taking her place next to Peter Albin, who told the crowd “now we’d like to introduce Janis Joplin…”
Born in Port Arthur, Texas, Joplin had been honing her craft, performing folk and blues music in Austin, when she was introduced to the band via music promoter Chet Helms. Her first performance with Big Brother, on June 10, 1966, took place at San Francisco’s legendary Avalon Ballroom and marked the start of a partnership that would redefine rock history.
Joplin’s arrival transformed the band. Her powerful, soulful voice and magnetic stage presence elevated Big Brother’s identity, blending blues grit with psychedelic energy. The group quickly gained momentum, culminating in a breakthrough performance at the Monterey International Pop Festival in June, 1967. Joplin’s electrifying rendition of “Ball and Chain” stunned audiences and critics alike, catapulting her and the band into the national spotlight. Soon after, they released their self-titled debut album featuring classics including “Call On Me” and “Down On Me.” In 1968, they delivered the landmark album Cheap Thrills, which soared to #1 on the Billboard 200 Chart and stayed #1 for eight nonconsecutive weeks with the help of enduring classics such as “Piece of My Heart,” “Summertime,” and the live version of “Ball and Chain.” These recordings captured the raw emotion and fearless individuality that cemented Joplin as a cultural icon and established Big Brother as one of the era’s most influential bands.
The lineup – Janis Joplin on vocals, Peter Albin on bass and vocals, Sam Andrew on guitar and vocals, James Gurley on guitar, and Dave Getz on drums – created a sound that embodied the spirit of the late 1960s: rebellious, passionate, and unrestrained. Though Joplin left Big Brother in late 1968 to pursue a solo career, their collaboration remains a cornerstone of rock history, and their impact on music and culture continues to resonate six decades later.
With uncompromising artistry and fearless individuality, Joplin became a symbol of freedom and rebellion. Though her time with Big Brother was brief, their impact on music and culture remains immeasurable.
After Joplin left Big Brother in 1968, she formed a new backing band called the Kozmic Blues Band, which also included Big Brother guitarist Sam Andrews. They would go on to perform at Woodstock. Their debut album I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama! was released a month later, on September 11, 1969. Shortly after, Joplin formed the Full Tilt Boogie Band, which she toured with until her death on October 4, 1970. Pearl, Joplin’s magnum opus, was released on January 11, 1971, three months after her passing. The album peaked at #1 on the Billboard Top 200, holding that spot for 9 weeks and featured the #1 single “Me and Bobby McGee” – only 1 of 2 songs to ever to hit #1 posthumously. Other classics included “Cry Baby” and “Mercedes Benz”.
Joplin remains among the most distinctive, galvanizing artists and singers in modern history.
She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and given a Grammy® Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005. But such honors only confirm what fans already know: Janis Joplin is one of the most powerful singers that music has ever known.
Stay tuned for more announcements as we honor Janis Joplin’s enduring legacy throughout 2026.
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