Janis Joplin Dies of Overdose
October 4, 1970
The singer Janis Joplin dies at the age of 27 of a heroin overdose. Some believe Joplin had been given heroin that was much more potent than normal, as several of her dealer’s other customers also overdosed that week.
She has just finished recording her only #1 hit, Me and Bobby McGee, three days earlier. Released after her death, it became the second posthumously-released song to reach #1 on the U.S. charts, after “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding.
Joplin was also known for her breakout performances at the Monterey Pop Festival (1967) and Woodstock (1969).