born Jan. 19, 1943, Port Arthur, Texas, U.S.
died Oct. 4, 1970, Los Angeles, Calif.
U.S. rock and blues singer.
Born to a middle-class family, she ran away from home at age 17 and began singing in Austin, Texas, and later in Los Angeles. She joined the band Big Brother and the Holding Company in San Francisco in 1966 and soon became famous for her raw, powerful, emotional blues style. The album Cheap Thrills (1968) contains some of her best-known recordings. After leaving the band, she continued to record hit songs, including "Me and Bobby McGee." She died from an overdose of heroin at age 27.