Janis Joplin is an American singer and songwriter. She lived a rebellious and unconventional lifestyle in her early years, started singing folk and blues and playing in clubs and bars with her guitar and auto-harp. She first became famous in the late 1960s when she became the lead singer of the rock band, Big Brother and the Holding Company. Joplin transferred from group to group and later became one of the major attractions at the Woodstock Festival. During her singing career, she only produced five singles. However, during the peak of her career, Janis Joplin was commonly known as “The Queen of Rock and Roll” or “The Queen of Psychedelic Soul.” Her friends commonly called her by her nickname “Pearl” too. She made the list for Rolling Stones’ 100 Greatest Artists of All Time in 2004 and the list of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time in 2008.
On this day, October 10th, in 1979, a film loosely based on Joplin’s life, called “The Rose,” premiered in Hollywood. The movie was originally supposed to be called “Pearl,” after her nickname, but her family wouldn’t allow the producers the rights to her life story. The film starred Bette Midler—who earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance.