‘Janis’ Birthday Month: Book Signing, Meet Author; Brother

‘Janis: Her Life and Music’

Rock queen Janis Joplin continues to make headlines daily, years after her rise to fame and too-sudden tragic death. In January, her birthday month, author Holly George-Warren will appear in Joplin’s home town, along with Joplin’s brother Michael, to sign her new critically-acclaimed book on the singer at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11 at the Museum of the Gulf Coast.  

“Janis: Her Life and Music” has been called a “blazingly intimate biography of Janis Joplin” that establishes the Queen of Rock & Roll as the rule-breaking musical trailblazer and complicated gender-bending rebel she was.” Longlisted for the 2020 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence, the book details how Joplin sensed the power of the blues as she grew in in Port Arthur and was drawn to roadhouses along the Texas and Louisiana coast. A tomboy who was intellectually curious and artistic, she drew scorn from her peers and eventually became a counter-cultural icon in San Francisco.

Michael Joplin and Janis’ Birthday

Michael Joplin, Janis’ brother who also grew up in Port Arthur, will appear with George-Warren and also be available to sign the book, at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11 at the Museum of the Gulf Coast. 

The Jan. 11 signing will honor Janis Joplin’s 77th birthday on Jan. 19. This will be the only instance on the current book tour in which Michael Joplin will appear with the author. He currently resides in Tucson and has not been back to Port Arthur in several years.  He shared with Tom Neal, museum director, that the Joplin family picked the author and read drafts of the book, which will be available for purchase at the event.

The Museum of the Gulf Coast has a permanent Janis Joplin exhibit and receives visitors from all over the world seeking to pay their respects to their idol in her home town.  Items donated to the Museum from Janis’ mother, and from a private collection will be on display the day of the event.

“This is a rare opportunity for people to meet Janis’ brother in Port Arthur. We are excited that both Michael and Holly have agreed to make an appearance on here,” Neal said.

Holly George-Warren is receiving wide praise for the book and is one of the most highly regarded chroniclers of American music history.  She is a two-time Grammy award nominee, and currently serves on the nominating committee of the Rock and Roll hall of fame. She has written for numerous publications including Rolling Stone magazine and The New York Times.  This is her 16th book.

The Museum’s music hall of fame features a replica of Joplin’s psychedelic Porsche, a multi-faceted bust of the singer and her original artwork. Fans from around the globe journey to this exhibit and experience how her musical formation fit into the area’s musical history that includes rock, blues, Zydeco, swamp pop, country and rap from celebrities ranging from The Big Bopper and Tex Ritter to Johnny Winter and Edgar Winter.

More of Janis in Port Arthur

Plan to stay over in Port Arthur and take a driving tour of Joplin’s hometown area. Brochures of the tour, which includes directions to her childhood home, are available at the Museum. The home has a Texas Historical Marker. More information about the Museum of the Gulf Coast  Trip Advisor, where it is rated as the top activity in the city.