Group
Big Brother & the Holding Company
- From
- San Francisco, United States
- Since
- 1965–present
- Rating
- ★ 5
- Releases
- 26
- blues rock
- psychedelic rock
- acid rock
- rock
About
Big Brother and the Holding Company are an American rock band that was formed in San Francisco in 1965 as part of the same psychedelic music scene that produced the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Jefferson Airplane. After some initial personnel changes, the band became well known with the lineup of vocalist Janis Joplin, guitarists Sam Andrew and James Gurley, bassist Peter Albin, and drummer Dave Getz. Their second album Cheap Thrills, released in 1968, is considered one of the masterpieces of the psychedelic sound of San Francisco; it reached number one on the Billboard charts, and was ranked number 338 in Rolling Stone's the 500 greatest albums of all time. The album is also listed in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
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Joplin left the band in 1968, following the recording of Cheap Thrills, for a successful solo career. The band recruited as new members Nick Gravenites, Kathi McDonald, and Dave Schallock to replace her, and released two more albums before breaking up in 1972. The classic lineup (minus Joplin, who had died in 1970) reunited in 1987. The band has continued to perform ever since, with a variety of different lead singers including Michel Bastian who was one of the earliest female vocalists that replaced Janis Joplin. She sang with Big Brother and The Holding Company from 1987 through 1996. James Gurley left for a solo career in 1997 and died in 2009. Sam Andrew died in 2015.
Members
-
Tom Finch guitar
-
Darby Gould lead vocals
-
Janis Joplin lead vocals
Discography
Albums
Live
-
Live at the Grande Ballroom, Detroit
-
Combination of the Two (live at the Monterey International Pop Festival)
-
Live at the Carousel Ballroom 1968
-
Ball & Chain Apple Music
-
Ball & Chain Apple Music
-
The Lost Tapes Apple Music
-
Live in San Francisco, 1966
-
Can't Go Home Again
-
Live at Winterland ’68
-
Live USA
-
Cheaper Thrills
-
1968-06-14: Winterland, San Francisco, CA, USA
-
Live at The Matrix 12-31-67
-
1968-06-23: Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco, CA, USA
Links
Official
Concerts
Vocal supporting musician
Also known as
Big Brother & the Holding Company feat. Janis Joplin · Big Brother and the Holding Co · Big Brother and the Holding Company · Big Brother and the Holding Company ft. Janis Joplin · Janis Joplin With Big Brother & the Holding Co. · Janis Jopplin & Big Brother & Holding Co.
Tags
- 1970s
Identifiers
- MusicBrainz
- 3cf5a3be-25ef-4408-98fe-e66fee536be1
- ISNI
- 0000000122847219
Data from MusicBrainz, saved 6 Nov 2026. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, covers from the Cover Art Archive and Apple Music.