The Rock Hall's American Music Masters Series looks at Janis Joplin's legacy

Cleveland Scene ^ | Nov. 11, 2009 | Anastasia Pantsios

[smokingfrog]

Janis Joplin has an indelible image as a swaggering, boozing rock 'n' roll mama whose blues-based music was a raw outpouring of her angst. The 1979 Bette Midler film The Rose, which depicts a Joplin-like singer, strengthened that view. Very likely it's why a lengthy list of actresses — including Renee Zellweger, Brittany Murphy, Pink, Lili Taylor, Zooey Deschanel and Vanessa Hudgens (!) — have expressed interest in playing her onscreen.

But it's an image that Lauren Onkey and Mary Davis hope to dispel, or at least replace with a new respect for her key role in the crossbreeding of rock and blues. Onkey, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's vice president of education and public programs, and Davis, associate director of Case Western Reserve's Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities, are the organizers of this year's 14th edition of the Rock Hall's American Music Masters series, Kozmic Blues: the Life and Music of Janis Joplin. It takes place all this week at the Rock Hall, Case and other venues around town, culminating with the usual gala tribute concert on November 14 at PlayhouseSquare's State Theatre, featuring Lucinda Williams, Nona Hendryx, Roky Erickson, Guy Clark, Susan Tedeschi and others.

Davis acknowledges the enduring fascination with Joplin as a hard-living figure who died in 1970 at the age of 27, saying that in a class she and Onkey are teaching, the students are fixated on it. "The drugs and death part of the story engage them the most," she says. "We've had a really hard time moving them off that story and onto the story of Janis Joplin the serious artist and why she matters."

[Mr. Blonde]

For sure. Give me Zooey everyday of the week though. Perry may be better endowed, but that is all she has going for her.

[Mr. Blonde]

Reminds me of Mad Magazine’s Holidays From Around the World.

Port Arthur, Texas: Janis Joplin Day: the ugliest woman in town dresses in feathers and drinks herself to death.

[Help!]

Actually I love Janis. The blues don’t get much better than that. I especially like her Pearl album.

[BnBlFlag]

Back in the day, my next hippie door neighbor “dated” her for awhile. Unfortunately, she was an out of control drug addled nymphomaniac even well before she achieved stardom.
It was said that she “took on” the entire offensive line of the Port Arthur Thomas Jefferson H.S. Yellow Jackets one night.
While the behavior of Johnny Winter (who I personally know)has always been Gentlemanly when home,she would routinely make a complete ass out of herself.

[dfwgator]

It was said that she “took on” the entire offensive line of the Port Arthur Thomas Jefferson H.S. Yellow Jackets one night.

I wonder if one of those offensive linemen was one Jimmy Johnson?

[Terabitten]

Zooey Deschanel. Amazingly talented young actress.

[packrat35]

Amen brother, Amen. I have NEVER understood the interest in her period. Sounds like screeching animals.

[packrat35]

So very true.

[gigster]

Scarlett Johansson would be my pick.

But, that’s just me.

[Terabitten]

Just yank Kitty's tail and you'd get the same "singing".

So who exactly do you find talented?

[gigster]

Hey! I’ve got it!

How about Amy Winehouse?

[Richard Kimball]

They also said that about Clara Bow and the USC offensive line, which included a young John Wayne.
I’ve no idea, but I know that rumor goes around about several different people, and it’s always the offensive line.
That said, Ms. Joplin was very screwed up mentally and nothing this side of Makenzie Phillips territory would surprise me.

[GSWarrior]

Courtney Love.

[BnBlFlag]

“It was said that she “took on” the entire offensive line of the Port Arthur Thomas Jefferson H.S. Yellow Jackets one night.”
I wonder if one of those offensive linemen was one Jimmy Johnson?

Coulda been. But I think he was a little older.

[Sir_Ed]

I love Janis’ music, I hgave all her albums and listen to them a lot...

Opinions vary!

I also love the Dead, which many here don’t.

Ed

[Huck]

I love the good old Grateful Dead.

[Sir_Ed]

I’ve got a 45-minute Dark Star, recorded when Pigpen was still alive, what a fantastic song and a fantastic version!

Almost as good as my favorite piece of music: the Fourth Movement of Beethoven’s 9th.

Man, I love hearing the Ode to Joy! I’ve heard it from Anchorage to Los Angeles to the Bay Area to Medford, and loved them all.

I’ve got a version conducted by Herbert von Karajan that suprasses anything heard on Earth.

See ya’,

Ed

[a fool in paradise]

Janis Joplin BIRTHDAY BASH

http://www.portarthur.com/janis/index1.html

The Gulf Coast Music Hall of Fame pays it’s annual tribute to Janis by highlighting her greatest hits and other great hits from her era.

[a fool in paradise]

And yet Scott Joplin, who’s also from Texas, has a festival in MO.

http://www.scottjoplin.org/biography.htm