Chicago Blues: The Bus Stop Blues - Episode #63 A Chapter in the History of the Blues Featuring: Janis Joplin

The Bus Stop Blues  thebusstopblues.com Our Patreon   NOW 3 NIGHTS A WEEK TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS AND SUNDAY AT 7PM on 98.3FM in Round Lake, IL   EPISODE #63 2/19/26 - A Chapter in the History of the Blues: Janis Joplin Hosts: Kevin Purcell & Road Bill   Janis Joplin didn’t just sing the blues… she lived them out loud. This week on The Bus Stop Blues, Road Bill and Kevin “Papa Blues” Purcell dive into the life and legacy of the woman who brought Delta soul to the psychedelic age. From her deep roots in the music of Bessie Smith and Big Mama Thornton to her explosive rise at Monterey and her unforgettable recordings with Big Brother and the Holding Company and the Full Tilt Boogie Band, this episode traces the blues heartbeat inside Janis’s powerful voice. Hear the stories, the influences, and the songs that made her a force of nature, raw, vulnerable, and unforgettable.   Episode 63 Song List: Piece of My Heart The song that made her a force of nature. Pain, power, and no safety net. Ball and Chain Pure Big Mama Thornton lineage. Long, slow, and emotionally devastating. Cry Baby Full voice, full band, full heartbreak. Janis at maximum voltage. Summertime Haunting and blues soaked. She turns a lullaby into a confession. Me and Bobby McGee Her only No. 1 hit. Freedom wrapped in loss. Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) Soul driven and urgent. Janis pushing against the walls. Kozmic Blues Fame, loneliness, and exhaustion laid bare. Mercedes Benz A cappella, sarcastic, and painfully human. Recorded days before her death. Down on Me Early folk blues energy with teeth. Maybe Intimate and fragile. One of her most underrated performances.