bobby gentry
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- Wikipedia -
Roberta Lee Streeter (aka Bobbie Gentry) was born July 27, 1942 near Woodland in Chickasaw County, Mississippi. She was one of the first female artists in America to compose and produce her own material.Gentry rose to international fame in 1967 with her Southern Gothic narrative "Ode to Billie Joe". The track spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was third in the Billboard year-end chart of 1967, earning Gentry Grammy awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1968.
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Sept 19, 2019: The Tennessean: What happened to singer Bobbie Gentry?
It was the 3rd of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day.”
That is the opening line of one of music’s most discussed, examined and appreciated songs — “Ode to Billie Joe,” written and performed by Bobbie Gentry, who was born in Mississippi’s Chickasaw County. When her parents divorced and her mother left for California, Gentry moved in with her grandparents in Leflore County, near Greenwood.
"Ode to Billie Joe" was selected by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the top 500 songs of all time. It went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and cracked the Top 10 on the Easy Listening and R&B charts. Billboard also rated it the No. 3 song of 1967.
It was the 3rd of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day.”
That is the opening line of one of music’s most discussed, examined and appreciated songs — “Ode to Billie Joe,” written and performed by Bobbie Gentry, who was born in Mississippi’s Chickasaw County. When her parents divorced and her mother left for California, Gentry moved in with her grandparents in Leflore County, near Greenwood.
"Ode to Billie Joe" was selected by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the top 500 songs of all time. It went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and cracked the Top 10 on the Easy Listening and R&B charts. Billboard also rated it the No. 3 song of 1967.
Oct 17, 2018: The Guardian: Bobbie Gentry: whatever happened to the trailblazing queen of country?
The 60s star – who didn’t just write her own songs but had her own TV show, made her own clothes and painted her own album art – could count Elvis and, later, Taylor Swift as fans. So why did she retire from public view in 1981?
The 60s star – who didn’t just write her own songs but had her own TV show, made her own clothes and painted her own album art – could count Elvis and, later, Taylor Swift as fans. So why did she retire from public view in 1981?
Aug 27, 2017: Rolling Stone: The Secret Life of Bobbie Gentry, Pioneering Artist Behind ‘Ode to Billie Joe’
In July of 1967, Capitol Records released “Ode to Billie Joe,” a spooky wisp of a song by an unknown artist named Bobbie Gentry. Industry wisdom said “Ode” was too dark, too long, too different to get played on the radio. It was a smash hit. With no special promotion, the song unexpectedly climbed up the charts past the Doors, Aretha Franklin and the Beatles, ultimately knocking “All You Need is Love” out of the Number One spot. By August, the mysterious tale of Billie Joe McAllister jumping off the Tallahatchie Bridge was ubiquitous, the inescapable sound of the darkening days of the so-called Summer of Love.
In July of 1967, Capitol Records released “Ode to Billie Joe,” a spooky wisp of a song by an unknown artist named Bobbie Gentry. Industry wisdom said “Ode” was too dark, too long, too different to get played on the radio. It was a smash hit. With no special promotion, the song unexpectedly climbed up the charts past the Doors, Aretha Franklin and the Beatles, ultimately knocking “All You Need is Love” out of the Number One spot. By August, the mysterious tale of Billie Joe McAllister jumping off the Tallahatchie Bridge was ubiquitous, the inescapable sound of the darkening days of the so-called Summer of Love.
June 2, 2016: Washington Post: Whatever happened to Bobbie Gentry? In search of country music’s great vanished star.
It’s the third of June. Somewhere in Mississippi, it’s another sleepy, dusty delta day. Since the summer of 1967, when the Southern gothic ballad “Ode to Billie Joe,” set on this day in that place, first hit the airwaves, the song has captivated American pop culture in a way few ever have.
Written and sung by an unknown young woman from Mississippi named Bobbie Gentry, it was an eerie, minor-key mystery about an unnamed young woman and her family sitting around a farm dinner table discussing, in elliptical terms, the suicide of Billie Joe McAllister.
It’s the third of June. Somewhere in Mississippi, it’s another sleepy, dusty delta day. Since the summer of 1967, when the Southern gothic ballad “Ode to Billie Joe,” set on this day in that place, first hit the airwaves, the song has captivated American pop culture in a way few ever have.
Written and sung by an unknown young woman from Mississippi named Bobbie Gentry, it was an eerie, minor-key mystery about an unnamed young woman and her family sitting around a farm dinner table discussing, in elliptical terms, the suicide of Billie Joe McAllister.
June 23, 1967: Gentry signed with Capitol Records.
July 10, 1967: "Ode To Billie Joe" is released as a single.
July 26, 1967: Gentry recorded acoustic demos of "I Saw an Angel Die", "Papa, Won't You Let Me Go to Town with You", "Sunday Best", "Hurry, Tuesday Child", and "Niki Hoeky".
July 28, 1967: Gentry finished recording her "Ode To Billie Joe" album
August 21, 1967: The LP "Ode to Billie Joe" is released.
September 2, 1967: Billboard's review of the Ode To Billie Joe LP said, "This album, based on the phenomenal single, "Ode to Billie Joe", has got to be one of the top albums of the year. Bobbie proves to be much more than a flash in the pan. Each of her emotional ballads are standouts — especially the haunting "Hurry Tuesday Child". And Miss Gentry's uptempo jazz waltz, "Papa, Won't You Take Me to Town with You", could step out as a single."
SEPT 2, 1967: Cashbox published a review Of Gentry's "Ode to Billie Joe" LP saying, "Bobbie Gentry follows up her No. 1 chart single, "Ode to Billie Joe", with an album of the same title. Included on the set, in addition to the title tune are, "Papa, Won't You Let Me Go to Town with You", "Chickasaw Country Child", "I Saw an Angel Die", and "Hurry, Tuesday Child". The disc figures to be a runaway best seller".
Sept 11, 1967: "I Saw an Angel Die" was released as a single.
Oct 5, 1967: "Mississippi Delta" single is released.
Dec 18, 1969: Gentry married casino magnate Bill Harrah when he was 58 years old and she was 27.
April 16, 1970: Gentry and Bill Harrah divorced.
August 17, 1976: Gentry married Thomas R. Toutant.
August 1, 1978: Gentry divorced Thomas R. Toutant.
October 15, 1978: Gentry married singer and comedian Jim Stafford.
December 25, 1978: Gentry appeared as a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
March 21, 1980: Gentry attended the Best of Vegas Awards.
May 10, 1981: Gentry was one of many celebrity guests to take part in An All-Star Salute to Mother's Day. During the television special she performed "Mama, a Rainbow" from the musical Minnie's Boys for her mother who was seated in the audience.
April 30, 1982: Gentry attended the Academy of Country Music Awards.
May 14, 2012: BBC Radio 2 in the UK broadcast a documentary titled Whatever Happened to Bobbie Gentry? presented by country music artist Rosanne Cash
July 10, 1967: "Ode To Billie Joe" is released as a single.
July 26, 1967: Gentry recorded acoustic demos of "I Saw an Angel Die", "Papa, Won't You Let Me Go to Town with You", "Sunday Best", "Hurry, Tuesday Child", and "Niki Hoeky".
July 28, 1967: Gentry finished recording her "Ode To Billie Joe" album
August 21, 1967: The LP "Ode to Billie Joe" is released.
September 2, 1967: Billboard's review of the Ode To Billie Joe LP said, "This album, based on the phenomenal single, "Ode to Billie Joe", has got to be one of the top albums of the year. Bobbie proves to be much more than a flash in the pan. Each of her emotional ballads are standouts — especially the haunting "Hurry Tuesday Child". And Miss Gentry's uptempo jazz waltz, "Papa, Won't You Take Me to Town with You", could step out as a single."
SEPT 2, 1967: Cashbox published a review Of Gentry's "Ode to Billie Joe" LP saying, "Bobbie Gentry follows up her No. 1 chart single, "Ode to Billie Joe", with an album of the same title. Included on the set, in addition to the title tune are, "Papa, Won't You Let Me Go to Town with You", "Chickasaw Country Child", "I Saw an Angel Die", and "Hurry, Tuesday Child". The disc figures to be a runaway best seller".
Sept 11, 1967: "I Saw an Angel Die" was released as a single.
Oct 5, 1967: "Mississippi Delta" single is released.
Dec 18, 1969: Gentry married casino magnate Bill Harrah when he was 58 years old and she was 27.
April 16, 1970: Gentry and Bill Harrah divorced.
August 17, 1976: Gentry married Thomas R. Toutant.
August 1, 1978: Gentry divorced Thomas R. Toutant.
October 15, 1978: Gentry married singer and comedian Jim Stafford.
December 25, 1978: Gentry appeared as a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
March 21, 1980: Gentry attended the Best of Vegas Awards.
May 10, 1981: Gentry was one of many celebrity guests to take part in An All-Star Salute to Mother's Day. During the television special she performed "Mama, a Rainbow" from the musical Minnie's Boys for her mother who was seated in the audience.
April 30, 1982: Gentry attended the Academy of Country Music Awards.
May 14, 2012: BBC Radio 2 in the UK broadcast a documentary titled Whatever Happened to Bobbie Gentry? presented by country music artist Rosanne Cash
| June 23, 1967: Gentry signed with Capitol Records. July 10, 1967: "Ode To Billie Joe" is released as a single. July 26, 1967: Gentry recorded acoustic demos of "I Saw an Angel Die", "Papa, Won't You Let Me Go to Town with You", "Sunday Best", "Hurry, Tuesday Child", and "Niki Hoeky". July 28, 1967: Gentry finished recording her "Ode To Billie Joe" album August 21, 1967: The LP "Ode to Billie Joe" is released. September 2, 1967: Billboard's review of the Ode To Billie Joe LP said, "This album, based on the phenomenal single, "Ode to Billie Joe", has got to be one of the top albums of the year. Bobbie proves to be much more than a flash in the pan. Each of her emotional ballads are standouts — especially the haunting "Hurry Tuesday Child". And Miss Gentry's uptempo jazz waltz, "Papa, Won't You Take Me to Town with You", could step out as a single." SEPT 2, 1967: Cashbox published a review Of Gentry's "Ode to Billie Joe" LP saying, "Bobbie Gentry follows up her No. 1 chart single, "Ode to Billie Joe", with an album of the same title. Included on the set, in addition to the title tune are, "Papa, Won't You Let Me Go to Town with You", "Chickasaw Country Child", "I Saw an Angel Die", and "Hurry, Tuesday Child". The disc figures to be a runaway best seller". Sept 11, 1967: "I Saw an Angel Die" was released as a single. Oct 5, 1967: "Mississippi Delta" single is released. Dec 18, 1969: Gentry married casino magnate Bill Harrah when he was 58 years old and she was 27. April 16, 1970: Gentry and Bill Harrah divorced. August 17, 1976: Gentry married Thomas R. Toutant. August 1, 1978: Gentry divorced Thomas R. Toutant. October 15, 1978: Gentry married singer and comedian Jim Stafford. December 25, 1978: Gentry appeared as a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. March 21, 1980: Gentry attended the Best of Vegas Awards. May 10, 1981: Gentry was one of many celebrity guests to take part in An All-Star Salute to Mother's Day. During the television special she performed "Mama, a Rainbow" from the musical Minnie's Boys for her mother who was seated in the audience. April 30, 1982: Gentry attended the Academy of Country Music Awards. May 14, 2012: BBC Radio 2 in the UK broadcast a documentary titled Whatever Happened to Bobbie Gentry? presented by country music artist Rosanne Cash |
