ns that were taking place. She also used Southern Comfort, to the extent that, if she were not actually an alcoholic at that time, she was very close to it indeed. Janis had bought the heroin from her usual, "reliable" dealer, named George. George, being a "nice" drug dealer, routinely had a local chemist come to check out his stash before he sold it onto the streets, to ensure it was cut adequately as to avoid fatalities. However, that night, of all nights, the chemist was not in town. Hence, the heroin Janis purchased would have been approximately 4 to 10 times stronger than normal, and she died. The last person to speak to Janis before her death was quite probably the man off whom she purchased a packet of cigarettes. The truth is no one will really ever know the exact reasons why, having been so determined to kick her heroin habit, Janis Joplin reverted to the drug that had shown her mercy on so many occasions but ultimately killed her. What can definitely assumed is that Janis is a legend, who will never be forgotten. Just like the old blues singers whom she idolized, Janis will remain firmly etched into the memory of all those who were there during her time at Rock's Pantheon. This memory has also been passed down to a whole new generation, who are at last appreciating records by an artist who could sing without state-of-the-art technology. Today, Janis' albums have gone gold, platinum and triple platinum. Her Greatest Hits Album still tops the charts on the American Billboard, and numerous compilation albums have been released since her death, including the box-set "Janis". She has been the subject of a feature documentary "Janis" (1973), more recently VH1s "Legends", and a film of her life is currently under discussion. Three decades on and still, few other women could've earned the nickname "Pearl" so well....
