On the Road with Janis Joplin

By: John Byrne Cooke

Narrated by: John Byrne Cooke

One of Parade's Top Ten Rock n' Roll Reads

As a road manager and filmmaker, he helped run the Janis Joplin show—and record it for posterity. Now he reveals the never-before-told story of his years with the young woman from Port Arthur who would become the first female rock and roll superstar—and depart the stage too soon.

In 1967, as the new sound of rock and roll was taking over popular music, John Byrne Cooke was at the center of it all. As a member of D.A. Pennebaker’s film crew, he witnessed the astonishing breakout performances of Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pop Festival that June. Less than six months later, he was on a plane to San Francisco, taking a job as road manager for Janis and her band, Big Brother and the Holding Company. From then on, Cooke was Joplin’s road manager amid a rotating cast of musicians and personnel, a constant presence behind the scenes as the woman called Pearl took the world by storm.

Cooke was there when Janis made the difficult decision to leave Big Brother and form a new band. He was with her when the Kozmic Blues Band toured Europe in the spring of 1969, when they performed at Woodstock in August, and when Janis and Full Tilt Boogie took their famous Festival Express train trip across Canada. He accompanied Janis to her friend and mentor Ken Threadgill’s 70th birthday party, and was at her side when she attended her tenth high school reunion in Port Arthur, Texas.

This intimate memoir spans the years he spent with Janis, from her legendary rise to her tragic last days. Cooke tells the whole incredible story as only someone who lived it could.

Critic reviews

“The story of the woman who skyrocketed to fame as the first female rock superstar and left it at a tragically young age—from someone who had a front-row seat.”—New York Post

“The best book about Janis [Joplin]."—Sam Andrews, Big Brother and the Holding Company

“[Cooke] is a gifted writer, letting Joplin’s vivaciousness and intensity shine throughout the work.”—Library Journal

"Janis Joplin was absolutely a barnstormer and a complete groundbreaker. She wasn't just a great woman in rock—at the time she was the woman in rock. Janis really created this whole world of possibility for women in music: Without Janis Joplin, there would be no Melissa Etheridge. Without Janis, there would be no Chrissie Hynde, no Gwen Stefani. There would be no one." —Rosanne Cash

“[Janis Joplin] perfectly expressed the feelings and yearnings of the girls of the electric generation—to be all woman, yet equal with men; to be free, yet a slave to real love; to [reject] every outdated convention, and yet get back to the basics of life.” —Lillian Roxon, rock critic

“Joplin belonged to that select group of pop figures who mattered as much for themselves as for their music. Among American rock performers, she was second only to Bob Dylan in importance as a creator-recorder-embodiment of her generation’s mythology.” —Ellen Wills, rock journalist

Janis, Queen of Rock n Roll

I ENJOYED THE BOOK,, IT SEEMED PRETTY FACTUAL THE NARRATOR COULD HAVE PUT SOME MORE EMOTION INTO H

Janis Joplin & John Cooke (a winning team)

Having produced several shows with Big Brother & the Holding Company (2008 and 2010) and getting to know the band personally, I really enjoyed this book. It answered numerous questions and gave me a great insight into this legendary woman. I enjoyed listening to the book so much so that I was disappointed when the story ended with Janis's death.....it could have just as easily continued following the life of road manager/author/narrator John Cooke's and I would have been happy.

Gutwrenching

Known all my life how this story ends... Still hit me like a ton of bricks.
What a ride man... What a great fucking ride...
Rock on Pearl...

A well written Account of a Tragic Soul

I got to see Her perform live several times so I was very interested to read her story. The account of her life Starts with the intro to many famous names and how she mixed into their lives. It was a great read.

Best Yet

I love listening to rock ‘n’ roll musician biographies and autobiographies. I have listened too many but I must say of all the biographies I have listened to this rendition by the author John Byrne Cooke is one of the best if not the best I have ever heard. Being in the music business I resonated with his perspective as a road manager and I am deeply moved. I saw Janis in concert in 1969 in Madison Wisconsin. It was unforgettable and to read this all these years later has given me a new perspective. I realized now why I had so many young women felt connected to Janis during those formative years of our lives. Well done John.