Janis, Yes!

Thank you Echidne over at Eschaton, Atrios’ a/k/a Duncan’s space.

I miss her so!

Back in the day I was driving down the Mass Turnpike heading for an evening of drugs, sex and rock and roll and I had to pull over to the side of the road when “Summertime” came on the radio. I had never heard it before and was completely blown away by the Big Brother Holding Company rendition of Mr. Gershwin.

Weeks later I waited for two hours for a Joplin appearance at WPI, and she was obviously impaired during the show, and yet it was an unbelievably spectacular experience.

Often our great performers are flawed and she was but she was also a great talent that we all benefited from.

So let us not forget this piece of invective: