Charming ALS signed “I love you so, J—,” eight pages on four sheets, 6 x 9, 1965. Handwritten letter to her boyfriend, Peter de Blanc, incorporating several detailed sketches of her new clothing—including a pair of lacy underpants! Joplin expresses satisfaction with her schoolwork, remarks that her natural skin color is returning (having changed her lifestyle to avoid drugs and alcohol), and introduces her family. Joplin describes a religious and adoring mother, a reluctantly wealthy father, a Baez-ballad singing sister, and a fawning brother. She suggests the possibility of a wedding at home, hoping that he might be able to leave San Francisco.
In part: "Sigh, I really miss you. I'm sitting in the Student Union of Lamar Tech having just done a magnificent job on my first History test & I miss you… I LOVE YOU. I hope you still love me. Write me? Please! What's new? Have you heard from the Army? Have you found a job?…Are we going to be together before Christmas? Should I plan on enrolling next semester? I'm just waiting for you, you know--tell me what you want me to do…you should see me—I'm not 'green' anymore—just barely regular-people color!…I just went to the store and bought myself three more dresses w/ the new checking acct that my Father gave me (my first!) Sigh! Wow it's really nice to be here again—everyone is so nice & loves me & I'm so happy…Let me introduce my family:
My mother—Dorothy—worries over & loves her children dearly. Republican and Methodist, very sincere, speaks in cliches which she really means, and is very good to people…My father—richer than when I knew him & kind of embarrassed about it—very well read—history his passion—quiet and very excited to have me home because I'm bright and we can talk…
My sister—15 years old—lovely sweet girl (I very magnanamously [sic] bought her a make-up bag—y'know, show her a few tricks, heh heh. You should see her!)…She's learned to play guitar quite well on a guitar I gave her last year & she sings Joan Baez ballads in a very sweet voice. In fact, tonight she's singing at MYF & I'm going to hear her…My father…said that Laura had said that she didn't think that I was wrong in anything that I had ever done & that made me feel very nice…We talk about folk music & I talk about you & she's thrilled for me.
My brother—Michael—now about 5´ tall! Absolutely huge & grown almost…floppy hair, levis & bicycles. Loves me dearly—wants me to live at home and likes to show off and impress me…he's a nice little boy!…So, aside from the two cats, Dusty & Bonita, you've met my family. I hope you like them—they like you. I have your picture on the desk where I do my homework…Everyone agrees that you're handsome!
Last night Mother & I talked about having a home wedding—she thought it would be nice—I said that you wanted to get married in the Church, but maybe we would get married here w/ a pastor or some such—we were just talking though—no plans or anything. I just like an excuse to talk about you. I really miss you—it's been 5 days, you know. I don't know whether I can last 6 mo's—I'd probably come to San Francisco just to see you. I love you…I miss being able to fix things for you & do things for you & make you proud of me & looking at you & walking with you…
Funniest thing though—I thought that since I wasn't KING-BEATNIK & ATTENTION-SEEKER anymore and I wore dresses and shoes & makeup & acted quietly and everything that I looked like everyone else sort of. But I'm still just sort of different somehow. I mean all those blithering coeds w/ thin cotton print dresses and blondish fluffy hair and Texas drawls and Oh now y'all cum on!'s, just know I'm not one of them. But then that's fair I guess—I know they're not one of my kind of people either… I have 5 new dresses: stripe…green…maroon…green w/ white lace…green shirtwaist…and a new pair of petti-pants!" She sketches each garment above its caption." In fine condition.
Janis Joplin (1943-1970), whose blues-belting voice assaulted the psychedelic scene of the late 1960s, hid a tumultuous inner life, whose revelation in this letter helps explain how she became the symbol of power and passion that she remains today. Before her rise as the lead of Big Brother & the Holding Company in the summer of 1966, Joplin had taken a break from her life in San Francisco, leaving behind a lover there: Peter De Blanc. De Blanc supported Joplin's determination to sober up by moving to her home town of Port Arthur, Texas, where she attended school at Lamar University. Their plan to marry was broken off when she learned that De Blanc was expecting a child with another woman. Joplin returned to San Francisco in June 1966 and joined Big Brother & the Holding Company to launch her legendary career.
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