“Piece of My Heart”

Today marks the first anniversary of Walking with Cake and what a year it has been!  I can’t believe that much time has passed since last summer, when I felt stuck in a rut and signed up for a blogging class on a whim.  I know it’s a story I tell often, but I’ve gone from an occasional blogger to a committed writer, and so many things have changed since taking that first step.  I’ve found something I’m truly passionate about, alongside caring for my family, and I’ve got several exciting new things coming my way in the next weeks and months.  Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for following along on this blog journey of mine.  Your support means the world to me.

There’s a new musical playing in town right now, One Night With Janis Joplin, and her songs are all over my local radio station, too.  Joplin was a Texas girl and spent some time in Austin, and whether or not she would like it, people here claim her as their own.  I’ve had her on my mind recently, and I watched Janis, the 1974 documentary about her life.  Joplin was only 27 when she died in 1970, but her voice carried the strength, power, and emotion of a much older woman.  Had she lived, she would be 70 today, and I can’t imagine what her voice would sound like now.

(A 1970 publicity photo of Janis Joplin, a public domain image.)

Beneath that wild hair and her feathered hats was a deeply emotional, passionate woman, and you only have to listen to her songs to understand how she felt.  Joplin’s version of George Gershwin’s “Summertime” IS summer in Texas, and you can feel the burning heat on your skin as she sings the classic tune.  And though it’s one of her most popular songs, “Piece of My Heart” is my favorite Joplin number.  This version is featured near the end of the documentary, and I love how she brings her fans onstage to dance and sing with her.

I don’t have much in common with Janis Joplin, aside from the fact that we are both native Texans, but this summer, she inspires me so much.  She seems such a tragic, talented figure, and though her experiences were so different than my own, I really admire her strength and her determination.

And her voice.  Oh my gosh, her voice.