Joplin, Janis - Did Joplin write/perform folk music?
Expert: Laura Brown - 3/14/2001
Question I know that Janis was best known for her soulful blues and rock, but she also did "Mercedes Benz" which is arguably in the folk genre. Do you know of any other songs which she wrote or performed that could be described as folk? Thank you. Also, I saw the "Love, Janis" show in Chicago. Is it in NYC now? Where? Thanks!! LK
Answer Yes, Janis did what could be considered 'folk music'
Before she became famous, she travelled with just her guitar and her voice, playing at bars, etc.
I think that the majority of the 'folk music' could also be considered bluegrass though.
If you're interested in hearing some of Janis' music pre-fame, I suggest buying Janis Jopline, ~Mercedes Benz, rare tracks 1962-70
If you can't find it, the titles to search for individually would be
'Hesitation Blues'
'Trouble in Mind'
'Mary Jane'
'Leavin' this Morning'
which are the songs that immediately come to mind. Leavin' this morning might be harder to find, it's an old country tune I believe originally recorded by Ma Rainey.
If you think about Janis' upbringing, also, in terms of folk music, she was a lot more influenced by the New Orleans jazz scene than the Joan Baez-y folk music permeating areas of the US at that time. There are tracks as well of Janis doing folkish songs with Bob Dylan and another with the Dead (grateful :))... the titles are ~It Ain't Me, Babe~ and ~Scarlet Begonias~, respectively..
Second half of your question:
I have not seen 'Love, Janis' yet only because after reading Laura Joplin's book I felt that maybe Laura Joplin did not know her sister that well.
Through reading other chronicles, Janis resented her sister Laura for being a 'perfect' child of the 60s and the child Janis thought her mother and father really wanted. Laura was in fact very straight edge until Janis came back to Port Arthur for her infamous high school reunion, but, before that time, Janis and Laura were not close at all.
Therefore, I would question Laura Joplin as a source for primary information.
My basic point being that when Love, Janis comes to New York (which I don't believe it has yet; I live there and have heard no news of it) I will see it, but it will not be on my top 10 list of things to do :)
