Be a Brother

Be a Brother is the third album by Big Brother and the Holding Company, released in October 1970. It was their first album after Janis Joplin's departure. Recruited in her place were guitarist David Shallock and singer-songwriters Nick Gravenites and Kathi McDonald. Included are ten original Holding Company compositions; though "Home on the Strange" is credited as "Arranged and adapted by P. Albin and S. Andrew", it is in fact a new composition with no apparent derivation from any public domain work. Track listing "Keep On" (Sam Andrew , Peter Albin, David Getz, James Gurley, David Schallock) – 4:21 "Joseph's Coat" (Nick Gravenites, John Cipollina) – 3:10 "Home on the Strange" (Albin, Andrew) – 2:15 "Someday" (Andrew) – 2:17 "Heartache People" (Gravenites) – 6:36 "Sunshine Baby" (Andrew, Albin, Getz, Gurley, Shallock) – 3:30 "Mr. Natural" (Andrew) – 3:31 "Funkie Jim" (Andrew, Albin, Getz, Gurley, Shallock, Gravenites) – 3:47 "I'll Change Your Flat Tire, Merle" (Gravenites) – 3:14 "Be a Brother" (Gravenites) – 3:04 Personnel Big Brother and the Holding Company Nick Gravenites – lead (2, 5, 8-10) and backing vocals Sam Andrew – guitar, lead (1, 4, 6, 7) and backing vocals David Schallock – guitar, backing vocals Peter Albin – guitar James Gurley – bass, guitar David Getz – drums, piano with: Kathi McDonald - Vocals Richard Greene – violin Mike Finnigan – keyboard Tower of Power – horn section Ira Kamin Mark Naftalin Technical David Brown, Jerry Hochman, Sy Mitchell – engineer Bob Seidemann – album design, photography John Van Hamersveld – design concept