Hear Janis Joplin join forces with the Grateful Dead on this day in 1969 (full audio)

Janis Joplin and that Gratefully dead are two key figures of the American counterculture of the 1960s. Joplin, the sensual psychedelic rocker from Texas, came to San Francisco in 1963 at the age of 20 and eventually joined Big Brother and the Holding in the summer of 1966. Around this time, Joplin had her first encounters with the members of the Grateful Dead, and both bands often partied together, as they lived near each other’s homes. Eventually, Joplin became friends with the founding member and keyboardist of the Grateful Dead, Ron “Pigpen” McKernanand the two began a brief love affair.

Although the romance between Joplin and Pigpen was short-lived, it marked the beginning of a relationship between her and the band that would last until her death in 1970. A milestone in the history of both artists occurred on this day in 1969, when Janis Joplin joined the Grateful Dead for the first of two known performances. During that legendary show on June 7, 1969, Joplin appeared at the end of the Grateful Dead set at Fillmore Westby bringing her powerful voice into the mix and helping Pigpen sing Bobby “Blue” Blands classic rhythm and blues song “Turn On Your Lovelight”.

You can listen to Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead’s collaboration on “Turn On Your Love Light” as well as the rest of the Dead’s performance from that day in 1969 at the Fillmore West in San Francisco. Enjoy!

Grateful Dead – Fillmore West – San Francisco, California – 7.6.69

(Audio: AJ Fink and Seth Kaplan)

Setlist: Grateful Dead | Fillmore West | San Francisco, California | 07.06.69

Set: Dire Wolf, Duprees Diamond Blues, Mountains Of The Moon, Dark Star-> Saint Stephen-> The Eleven-> Sitting On Top Of The World-> Cold Rain & Snow-> Doin’ That Rag, Me & My Uncle, Turn On Your Love Light*