Janis Joplin's Electric Voice Was Influenced by This Legendary Artist

Janis Joplin wasn't merely a singer and songwriter — she was a beacon of unrestrained emotion and indomitable expression. From soul-moving songs such as "Piece of My Heart" and "Me and Bobby McGee" to her passionate performances, Joplin shattered glass ceilings with every lyric and cemented what it truly meant to be a rock star. Although it's been nearly 55 years since her untimely death at 27, her powerful personality and undeniable talent live on in music and in the hearts of music lovers worldwide. She inspires many artists today, such as P!nk and Florence Welch (to name a few), and although many try to imitate her style, none can match her innate talent. However, there is a rather surprising artist whom Joplin once declared inspired her own signature raspy voice: Bessie Smith.

Janis Joplin Was Inspired By The Empress of Blues

Known posthumously as one of the first rock 'n' roll queens, Janis Joplin was born Janis Lyn Joplin in Port Arthur, Texas, on January 19, 1943. She grew up in a middle-class household and began cultivating a love for blues music as a child. She began singing as a teenager, which often served as a refuge for her, as she was teased relentlessly at school for being a rebel. Many believe that Joplin's horrible school experience would later inspire many of her most profound songs, including her hit 1960s remake of "Down On Me". But there was another legendary artist whose music and voice inspired Joplin. And that is none other than Bessie Smith.

On paper, Joplin and Smith are worlds apart from one another, but a close examination reveals the two had a few things in common, if only musically speaking. For starters, Smith was born nearly fifty years before Joplin in Mississippi. Smith, who was African American, first emerged in the early 1920s with her debut records (which were her instant hits) titled "Downhearted Blues" and "Gulf Coast Blues", and she quickly established herself as a trailblazer in the Jazz Era. Known for her distinctive and powerful contralto voice, Smith's work inspired Joplin in more ways than one.

As Joplin once told Hit Parader in 1969 during a rare interview: “Back in Port Arthur, I’d heard some Lead Belly records, and, well, if the blues syndrome is true, I guess it’s true about me,” she explained. “So I began listening to blues and folk music. I bought Bessie Smith and Odetta records, and one night I was at a party and did an imitation of Odetta. I’d never sung before, and I came out with this huge voice.” As ardent fans of Joplin's are sure to know, a year following her interview praising one of her idols, Joplin discovered that Smith was entered in an unmarked grave and so out of profound respect for the "Empress of Blues", she paid for a headstone to be erected in her honor along with the inscription: “The greatest blues in the world will never stop singing—Bessie Smith 1895 – 1937.”

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Janis Joplin Named Tina Turner as One of Her Favorite Artists

Bessie Smith wasn't the only great singer that inspired Janis Joplin. Joplin was also inspired by the one and only Tina Turner. And like Joplin, Turn was born to humble beginnings in Tennessee and also got her start in a rock band alongside her then-husband, Ike. Turner, also like Joplin, would later go down in history as another rock 'n' roll queen thanks to iconic songs such as "What's Love Got To Do With It", "River Deep Mountain High", and "Goldeneye" to name a few. In 1969, just a year before her death, Joplin made an appearance on the popular talk program The Dick Cavett Show. When asked about her musical influences, she promptly mentioned Tina Turner as an artist she enjoyed listening to. “She is my current favorite,” Joplin said. “She is the best chick ever. Fantastic singer, great dancer, fantastic show.“

When Cavett replied that he didn’t know who Turner was, Joplin responded, “A lot of people don’t. That’s too bad.” Later that same year, Joplin and Turner would perform at Madison Square Garden in New York along with other acts such as BB King and The Rolling Stones. The legendary concert was later documented on the Rolling Stones' live album Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out. The 2009 expanded reissue of the album features the entire concert, including a disc of the complete Ike and Tina Turner and B.B. King sets along with Joplin's performed (and uncredited) "Land of 1000 Dances" with Turner.