Big Brother's Sam Andrew dies aged 73
Sam Andrew, the founding Big Brother and the Holding Company guitarist who powered many of Janis Joplin's biggest hits, has died on February 12, 2015, following complications from open-heart surgery due to a heart attack suffered ten weeks prior. He was 73.
On February 13th the following message was posted to Big Brother and the Holding Company's Facebook page: "Dear friends, yesterday, 10 weeks after his heart attack and the open-heart surgery that followed it, Sam lost his gallant fight to hold onto the life he lived so well. He died peacefully in Elise's arms at 5:15pm. There will be much more to say about him in the days to come and there will come a time when we will gather together to remember him. Now is a time for Elise to regather her strength after the long vigil she has kept and the vital role she played in overseeing Sam's care. For now we can all remember him in our own ways until we can remember him together. He lived his life in music and art and a loving marriage. It doesn't get much better than that."
Andrew became involved with the San Francisco folk music scene of the early 1960s while attending classes at the University of San Francisco. After he met Peter Albin, they started Big Brother and the Holding Company. Janis Joplin was recruited by band manager Chet Helms to join them as lead singer on June 4, 1966. They soon landed a record contract, issuing their first album on Mainstream and their second on Columbia Records. In December 1968 Andrew and Joplin left Big Brother and the Holding Company to form The Kozmic Blues Band. After about nine months and one album, I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama!, Andrew returned to Big Brother.
After Big Brother stopped performing in 1972, he moved to New York City, where he studied harmony, counterpoint and composition. During this period he scored several films in the US and Canada and composed two string quartets and a symphony! He remained in NYC for 8 years before returning to San Francisco, where he began playing clarinet and saxophone. Big Brother and the Holding Company finally reunited in 1987. Andrew was also music director of the musical Love, Janis, based on the life of Janis Joplin, written and directed by Randal Myler and based on the book by Laura Joplin of the same name.
He is survived by his wife Elise and daughter Mari Andrew.
Rock in Peace, psychedelic brother.