With all the hoopla over the King turning 58 — Elvis gets a new stamp and all — you might not realize that the Pearl, Janis Joplin, is turning 50.
You can rest assured, however, that the late singer’s hometown of Port Arthur, Texas, has not overlooked the occasion.
The sixth Janis Joplin Birthday Bash will be 7 p.m. Saturday at the Port Arthur Civic Center. The annual event is held the closest Saturday night to Janis’ real birthday. The rock star would have hit the mid-century mark Jan. 19.
The birthday bash not only recognizes one of the coastal town’s most famous former citizens, it also is a fund-raiser for the Port Arthur Museum of the Gulf Coast, temporarily housed since 1988 in the Gates Memorial Library at Lamar University.
The museum, which hopes to move to its permanent location this summer, has a musical heritage exhibit honoring those from the area who have gained national fame — 30-something so far — including Tex Ritter, Johnny and Edgar Winter, The Big Bopper, Johnny Preston (of Running Bear fame) and Harry James. The museum also has a sports exhibit, which includes Dallas Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson, who graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Port Arthur in 1961, a year behind Janis.
“It must be something in the water,” jokes Donald Ball, producer of the birthday bash and also a ’61 graduate, about the area’s talents.
Because the area does have so many talented musicians, the celebration will feature only local artists, a change from the last four years when artists from all over participated (last year, Kris Kristofferson performed).
The evening’s entertainment includes Jivin’ Gene Bourgeois (who in 1959 had a hit with Breaking Up is Hard to Do, sung later by Neil Sedaka), Duane Yates, Scott McGill, Jenny Latiolais, Paul Orta, Barry Pickett and the Heartbeats with the New Generation Horns, Shea Marie “The Queen Bee” Cromien, and Miss Molly and the Whips.
“But if anyone is headlining the show, it would have to be Jerry ‘Count Jackson’ LaCroix,” says Ball. The Port Arthur native is lead singer for The Boogie Kings.
“The Boogie Kings was a 12-piece all-white horn band that played black tunes in the 1950s and ’60s. It was the hottest band from New Orleans to Houston from 1956 to 1969,” says Ball.
The band broke up in 1969. LaCroix later sang with White Trash (with Edgar Winter), Blood, Sweat & Tears, and Rare Earth. Thirty-six years since The Boogie Kings’ beginning, LaCroix is back playing with the band. The Boogie Kings’ recently released CD is called Nine Lives, illustrated with a white cat wearing sunglasses.
Also on hand for the weekend will be Janis’ younger sister Laura, signing copies of her tell-all (or at least, some) book, Love, Janis.
The concert and dance will end with everyone singing Happy Birthday. And yes, you will be able to buy Janis’ favorite beverage from the bar — Southern Comfort.
SHOW INFORMATION
The sixth Janis Joplin Birthday Bash is scheduled 7 p.m. Saturday at the Port Arthur Civic Center in Texas. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at door; out-of-towners with ID also $8 at the door. Price for teen-agers is $5 (12 and under free). Discount weekend packages are available. Call 1-1-800-235-7822.
