What A Waste

Today is the 36th anniversary of the overdose death of Janis Joplin. One of the greatest female blues singers of all time had to throw it all away on booze and smack. I wrestle with this a bit – on one hand, I’m in favor of people living their lives the way they want. On the other hand, it really, really irritates me when intelligent and talented people succumb to the pressures of substances.

Can you imagine the hundreds of songs Janis could have put out had she not decided to load up on heroin one fateful day? Maybe then the world would know more than “Piece Of My Heart” and “Me and Bobby McGee”; great songs in their own right, but only a smidge of what her capabilities were.

Belushi, Hendrix, Cobain, Morrison, Marilyn – I just shake my head at all the talent that has been tossed down the crapper due to drugs.

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