Happy Birthday, Janis Joplin! The late rock icon would be 79 today. She initially rose to fame after performing at the Monterey Pop Festival with her band Big Brother and the Holding Company. She left the band after releasing 2 albums to continue as a solo artist. She went on to perform at Woodstock in 1969. She died from a heroin overdose in 1970 at the age of 27, just over 2 weeks after Jimi Hendrix’s death. She left $2500 in her will for her friends to throw a gigantic party after her death. The celebration was held a few weeks after her death at a popular rock venue, the Lions Share. Around 300 guests attended with many of her musician friends performing in her honor. She remains one of the most popular musicians in the U.S., with RIAA certifications of 18.5 million albums sold. Learn more here.