Search Results for: blog forever 27 janis joplin

Amy Winehouse Joins the 27 Club

This past weekend, singer Amy Winehouse was found dead in her house in London. While I was not surprised to hear this news, I was certainly saddened. Winehouse, for all her demons, was truly a talented singer. She released her debut album Frank in 2003 when she was just 20 years old. Her style was influence by jazz, Sinatra, and girl groups of the ‘50s and ‘60s. She would only have one more studio album before her death, but it blew up the charts. Back to Black was released in late 2006 and hit number one on every chart except … Continue reading →

Meet a Families.com Blogger – Libby Pelham!

Today we are joined by another fabulous Families.com blogger, Libby Pelham. Libby, I’m so glad you could join us today. How long have you blogged for Families.com? Since time began…no, wait, since its inception in January 2006. What topics do you blog about? I used to blog in Food, and then switched to Pop Culture. What is your favorite thing about blogging for Families.com? I’ve always been a Pop Culture fanatic and I love being able to blog about stuff I love and give my opinion. What do you like to do when you’re not blogging? This sounds sad, but … Continue reading →

Forever 27: The Others

So we know that Robert Johnson, Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and Kurt Cobain all died tragically at the age of 27. But there are more members of the infamous club who never reached the superstardom of the ones I have already mentioned. Here is a list of the other musicians who died at the age of 27: Louis Chauvin Chauvin was a ragtime musician who died in 1908 of syphilis. Jesse Belvin Belvin was an R&B singer/songwriter who died in a car accident in 1960. His biggest hit was “Goodnight My Love,” which reached #7 on … Continue reading →

Forever 27: Kurt Cobain

After the shock of losing four icons within two years, you would think musicians smartened up a bit. Nah, not so much. There were still many musician deaths in the 70s, its just that none of the more famous were the infamous age of 27. Cass Elliot, known as Mama Cass, rose to fame with the Mamas & the Papas, a folksy pop group from the 60s. After the group broke up, she had a successful solo career until 1974, when she was found dead in her hotel room at the age of 32. She didn’t choke on a ham … Continue reading →

Forever 27: Janis Joplin

In October 1970, the world was still reeling over the death of Jimi Hendrix. How such a wonderfully talented guitarist could be taken so suddenly was shocking. But, by the end of the month, the country would be mourning the death of another great rock icon. Janis Joplin was shunned by the others in high school. While it may have bothered her, she had more on her mind. She was already listening to blues greats like Leadbelly, Bessie Smith, Odetta, and Big Mama Thornton. Soon, Janis began to sing both blues and folk music, playing small coffee houses and bars … Continue reading →

Forever 27: Jim Morrison

In July 1971, music fans were still reeling from the deaths of 60s icons Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. But, another hard hit was yet to come. Jim Morrison met Ray Manzarek and they formed the band The Doors in 1965. They were quickly joined by John Densmore on drums and Robby Krieger on guitar. In 1966, they opened for the Northern Irish band Them (featuring lead singer Van Morrison) at the famed Whiskey-A-Go-Go on Sunset Strip in LA. They got their big break when they were signed to Elektra Records in 1967. They released the single “Light My Fire” … Continue reading →

Folk Singer Odetta Holmes Dies at 77

Folk singer and civil rights activist Odetta Holmes, known professionally as Odetta, died this week of heart disease at the age of 77. Odetta influenced a generation of singers such as Janis Joplin, Tracy Chapman, Janis Ian, Bob Dylan, and Joan Baez with her folk, blues, and gospel classics. Dylan was quoted as saying, “The first thing that turned me on to folk singing was Odetta. From Odetta, I went to Harry Belafonte, the Kingston Trio, little by little uncovering more as I went along.” By the way, I missed my change to blog about the October 1, 2008 passing … Continue reading →

Scary Places: The Hotel Chelsea in New York City

Ever notice how ghosts tend to haunt old dwellings where many tortured souls lived? Such is the case of the historic Hotel Chelsea in New York City. The Chelsea was built in 1883, when that particular area was the center of the theater district. Maybe that is why it always seemed to attract talented, yet troubled artists. It was first divided into private apartments, and then turned into a hotel, but regardless, it has seen its share of celebrities. (This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5) Sir Arthur C. Clarke penned “2001: a Space Odyssey” while … Continue reading →

Infamous Hotel Rooms – Part 3

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Here are even more hotel rooms that are known for their notorious reputations: Room 1220 – Westin Hotel, San Francisco, CA Room 1220 was the scene of one of the saddest Hollywood downfalls ever – that of comedian Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle. Back in the 20’s, Arbuckle was raking in a million a year at Paramount, making him one of the biggest stars of the day. However, on September 3, 1921, actress Virginia Rappe became ill in his hotel room, eventually dying of peritonitis. Arbuckle was charged with rape and although he was acquitted, the media grabbed a hold of the … Continue reading →

Infamous Hotel Rooms – Part 1

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I saw an AOL article the other day and knew it was just up my alley – infamous hotel rooms! So, I decided to start doing a little research and low and behold, I found many infamous hotel rooms all over the country: Room 871 – Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D.C. This is one of the most recent “infamous” hotel rooms, now known as “The Governor’s Room.” It was the one in which former New York governor Eliot Spitzer stayed when he met with a call girl. The room is elegant with its dark wood furnishing and patterned carpet and the … Continue reading →