Thursday night at RM Sotheby's "Driven By Distruption" car auction in New York, Janis Joplin's renowned, kaleidoscopic Porsche sold for a total of $1.76 million. The pearl white 1965 porsche 365c 1600 Cabriolet, which is adorned with flower-power and psychedelic patterns, was only expected to only reel in between $400,000 and $600,000, CNN notes.
The "Me and Bobby McGee" singer initially bought the Porsche in 1968 before Dave Richards, roadie for Big Brother and the Holding Company, put his artistic spin on the vehicle by paining the iconic "History of the Universe" mural which showcases jellyfish, butterflies and portraits of the band members. Joplin held onto the car until her October 1970 death at the age of 27. For the last two decades, the Porsche has been on display at Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Also included in the "Driven By Distruption" auction was a 1962 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato, which was sold for th highest price ever paid for a British car during an auction, a hefty $14.3 million.
"Janis drove everywhere, all around San Francisco and down to Los Angeles when she was recording there," Laura, Joplin's sister and biographer explained to Sotheby's. "Wherever Janis went in the car, her fans recognized it. When she parked it and returned, there was always at least one note under the wipers."
The "Piece of my Heart" singer's life, quick rise to fame and fortune, drug addiction and the indelible footprint she left on the music scene are detailed in the latest Amy J. Berg-directed documentary, Janis: Little Girl Blue, which recently aired on PBS. The film incorporates narration from Cat Power and boasts interviews from musical legacies like the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir, Clive Davis, Melissa Etheridge, Dick Cavett, D.A. Pennebaker as well as Joplin's closest companions, band mates and family members.
