That Austin set more famously included “Me and Bobby McGee.” Introducing the song, Joplin referred to Kristofferson as “a friend of mine, a very good songwriter who’s gonna be famous in . . .

She formally recorded “Me and Bobby McGee” in September 1970. It was released in January 1971. Between those two dates, the singer died of a heroin overdose.

NASHVILLE — “Me and Bobby McGee” is one of Kris Kristofferson’s most famous and widely covered songs, with everyone from Janis Joplin to Pink putting their own spin on it since 1969.

He put me on stage the first time.” One of his most recorded songs, “Me and Bobby McGee,” was written based on a recommendation from Monument Records founder Fred Foster.

Joplin’s “Me and Bobby McGee” was featured on her album Pearl, which spent nine weeks atop the Billboard 200. Joplin’s bluesy, jazzy version of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall ...

The 'Me and Bobby McGee' songwriter and former Rhodes scholar also became a leading man in Hollywood, appearing with Barbra Streisand in a remake of 'A Star Is Born.' ...

Kristofferson wrote "Me and Bobby McGee" and "Sunday Morning Coming Down," huge hits for Janis Joplin and Johnny Cash, and was a Rhodes scholar, military man, janitor, helicopter pilot, actor and ...

Dierks Bentley and Sheryl Crow performed "Me and Bobby MeGee" alongside Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh, Chris Janson and John Osborne of Brothers Osborne.

Janis Joplin: “Me and Bobby McGee” Finally, I had to include the most iconic of all Kristofferson covers, Janis Joplin’s blazing, elegiac “Me and Bobby McGee.” ...