Janis Joplin (3,287 views)

[Baronessa]

Janis Lyn Joplin (19 January 1943 - 4 October 1970)
Member of: Big Brother & The Holding Company (1966 - 1968)
Vocal Range: E3 - D6

SPOILER: Click to show

{Synopsis}A seminal character in the canon of raspy, emotive belters and an original member of the 27 Club, Janis Joplin is one of the most durable figures of tragic artistry in pop music as we know it today. Nowadays, it is perhaps easy to retrospectively scoff at Janis' often abrasive style, but during her time she was the first to turn heads with an eclectic array of influences and a display of high singing seldom equaled before or since. From rootsy folk hipness to boneshaking blues tonality, Janis' blend of genres is a cornerstone of the legendary Woodstock festival; having made such an impression that she now stands beside the likes of Jimi Hendrix as one of the most notable artists from the most significant festival in rock history. Even though a vast amount of her potential sadly got left unemployed, Janis' chequered personality being evident during her time in the limelight, her life story combined with her artistry continues to attract fans in younger generations -- every time you hear an aspiring female rock singer bring the house down, you'll probably at least in part have Janis Joplin to thank for that.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Vocal Range Timeline}Big Brother & The Holding Company:
Big Brother & the Holding Company (1967): G3 - A5 - B♭5
Cheap Thrills (1968): E3 - G5 - B5

Janis Joplin:
I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! (1969): G3 - G5 - B5
Pearl (1971): F3 - G5 - A5 - C6

Significant High Notes:

D6 ("Harry" California Hall, Berkeley 1966)
C♯6 ("Harry" California Hall, Berkeley 1966, "It's a Deal" take 1)
C6 ("Catch Me Daddy" Grande Ballroom, Detroit 1968, "Me and Bobby McGee")
B5 ("Combination of the Two", "Harry", "How Many Times", "It's a Deal" take 1, "Raise Your Hand" Texas International Pop Festival, Dallas 1969, "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)")
B♭5 ("Coo Coo", "Ego Rock" Fillmore West, San Francisco 1970, "Roadblock")
A5 ("Ball and Chain", "Catch Me Daddy" Grande Ballroom, Detroit 1968, "Combination of the Two", "Cry Baby", "Easy Once You Know How" take 1, "I Need a Man to Love", "Kozmic Blues", "Move Over", "Tell Mama" CNE Stadium, Toronto 1970, "Turtle Blues", "Women Is Losers")
G♯5 ("Maybe", "Piece of My Heart", "Raise Your Hand" Texas International Pop Festival, Dallas 1969)
G5 ("Bo Diddley" Fillmore, San Francisco 1969, "Coo Coo", "Cry Baby", "Dear Landlord", "Ego Rock" Fillmore West, San Francisco 1970, "Farewell Song" Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco 1968, "Get It While You Can", "Move Over", "Half Moon", "How Many Times", "Magic of Love" take 1, "Oh, Sweet Mary", "Roadblock", "Summertime", "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)", "A Woman Left Lonely", "Women Is Losers", "Work Me, Lord")
F♯5 ("Ball and Chain", "Call on Me", "Combination of the Two", "Harry", "Intruder", "Kozmic Blues", "Work Me, Lord")
F5 ("As Good as You've Been to This World", "Bye, Bye Baby", "Coo Coo", "Cry Baby", "Down on Me", "Ego Rock" Fillmore West, San Francisco 1970, "The Last Time", "Maybe", "Misery'n", "Move Over", "Summertime")
E5 ("Call on Me", "Catch Me Daddy" Grande Ballroom, Detroit 1968, "Easy Rider", "Flower in the Sun", "How Many Times", "I Need a Man to Love", "Kozmic Blues", "Me and Bobby McGee", "My Baby", "Oh, Sweet Mary", "Piece of My Heart", "Raise Your Hand" Texas International Pop Festival, Dallas 1969, "Tell Mama" CNE Stadium, Toronto 1970, "To Love Somebody", "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)", "Turtle Blues")
E♭5 ("As Good as You've Been to This World", "Bo Diddley" Fillmore, San Francisco 1969, "Dear Landlord", "Get It While You Can", "Half Moon", "The Last Time", "Little Girl Blue", "Maybe", "Mercedes Benz", "Roadblock", "Trust Me", "Women Is Losers")
D5 ("Bye, Bye Baby", "Coo Coo", "Down on Me", "Easy Once You Know How" take 1, "Easy Rider", "Harry", "Intruder", "Little Girl Blue", "Magic of Love" take 1, "Misery'n", "Move Over", "My Baby", "Oh, Sweet Mary", "To Love Somebody", "Turtle Blues", "A Woman Left Lonely")
C♯5 ("Ball and Chain", "Call on Me", "Combination of the Two", "Farewell Song" Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco 1968, "Flower in the Sun", "It's a Deal" take 1, "One Good Man", "Piece of My Heart", "Trust Me", "Work Me, Lord")
C5 ("All Is Loneliness", "Careless Love", "Catch Me Daddy" Grande Ballroom, Detroit 1968, "Farewell Song" Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco 1968, "Get It While You Can", "Half Moon", "I Need a Man to Love", "Magic of Love" take 1, "Mercedes Benz", "My Baby", "Roadblock")
B4 ("Ball and Chain", "Blindman", "Bye, Bye Baby", "Easy Once You Know How" take 1, "Happy Birthday, John (Happy Trails)", "It's a Deal" take 1, "Me and Bobby McGee", "One Good Man", "Raise Your Hand" Texas International Pop Festival, Dallas 1969, "Tell Mama" CNE Stadium, Toronto 1970, "Turtle Blues")

Significant Low Notes:

B3 ("Bye, Bye Baby", "Call on Me", "Easy Once You Know How" take 1, "One Good Man", "Piece of My Heart", "Tell Mama" CNE Stadium, Toronto 1970, "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)", "Turtle Blues", "Work Me, Lord")
B♭3 ("All Is Loneliness", "As Good as You've Been to This World", "Careless Love", "Farewell Song" Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco 1968, "Get It While You Can", "Half Moon", "Maybe", "Mercedes Benz", "Oh, Sweet Mary", "Roadblock", "Summertime", "Trust Me", "Women Is Losers")
A3 ("Catch Me Daddy" Grande Ballroom, Detroit 1968, "Flower in the Sun", "Happy Birthday, John (Happy Trails)", "I Need a Man to Love", "Kozmic Blues", "Me and Bobby McGee", "Move Over", "One Good Man", "To Love Somebody", "Turtle Blues", "A Woman Left Lonely", "Women Is Losers")
G♯3 ("As Good as You've Been to This World", "Piece of My Heart", "Trust Me", "Work Me, Lord")
G3 ("Bye, Bye Baby", "Cry Baby", "Farewell Song" Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco 1968, "Get It While You Can", "Half Moon", "Kozmic Blues", "Maybe", "Me and Bobby McGee", "Oh, Sweet Mary", "Summertime", "To Love Somebody")
F♯3 ("Ball and Chain", "Happy Birthday, John (Happy Trails)")
F3 ("Cry Baby")
E3 ("Ball and Chain", "I Need a Man to Love")
..................................................
• Blue marks falsetto notes.
• Bold marks outstanding passages.
• Italics mark non-melodic notes.
• Underlines mark obscured notes.