Janis Joplin died 40 years ago today of a heroin overdose aged only 27, in a still-standing Hollywood motel now called The Highland Gardens.

The singer was in the middle of recording what became her biggest album, the posthumously-released, 'Pearl'.

Though Joplin was inducted into the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, and was awarded an honorary Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award a decade later, her family believes her legacy has dwindled and has hired a specialist to put that to rights. Jeffrey Jampol clearly knows a thing or five about resurrecting the careers of dead artists, having been charged with doing the same for Jim Morrison, Gram Parsons, Peter Tosh and Rick James.

Upcoming projects intended to boost Joplin’s name recognition include a line of jewellery, clothes and accessories called Made for Pearl, two books and collector editions of her albums, reproductions of her famous Gibson Hummingbird guitar and even the requisite iPhone app which lets users remix Joplin songs themselves.

There’s also a documentary in the works and possibly duelling films on the horizon, one has Amy Adams slated to play Joplin, the other apparently about to announce a big-name director but, as yet, no star.

Watch Janis Joplin being interviewed on the Dick Cavett show: