In 1975, I visited a cousin living in Reno, Nevada who worked at Harrah's hotel and casino. One night she treated me to a dinner show and we had a very plush booth. The people at the next booth entered and sat down a few feet from us. They were hotel owner Bill Harrah and his then wife Bobbie Gentry. She was absolutely gorgeous. I've never forgotten that.
Chances are we’ll never know whatever happened to Bobbie Gentry. Even in the age of the Internet and social media, if a person doesn’t want to be found, that person won’t be found. But she did leave behind some great music for us to enjoy.
I remember heading her sing Ode to Billy Joe on my transistor radio when I was a little girl. It was the very first time I'd heard it and loved it! I still listen to it from time to time on RU-vid. ❤
I love Ode to Billie Joe. At the time I had no idea that she wrote it herself. If I had, I would have loved it even more. I still listen to that song today. ❤️
I really enjoy Flannery O’Conner, Shirley Jackson, Eudora Welty, & Cormac MacCarthy. This said, Bobbie Gentry is definitely a Southern Gothic poet. Many parallels between her writing and theirs.
@@louduva9849 Interesting. I don’t know a ton about Shirley Jackson, other than reading some of her work, which has some Southern Gothic elements to it, so I suppose I just assumed. You learn something new everyday.
In 1967 I was sitting at dinner or rather in the South, in one Hot Georgia Summer Night, we ( my family) was listening to BIG GUS RADIO in Augusta Georgia when Old To Billy Joe Played. We all stopped eating and listened to this song.
I got to see her in concert with Glen Campbell. She did Ode to Billie Joe and Campbell did Whichita Lineman. Both of them were great. Today I live in Meridian, Mississippi and take people up to see the Tallahatchie Bridge. There was also a movie made, Ode to Billie Joe about 1975-76
@@markthomas2436 The bridge is in Money, Mississippi. Google Map it. The bridge of this song's fame burned down in the 1970's and was replaced with a metal one in the same spot.
People say they can't believe she packed it in so early. Those are coming from people who don't remember those days. She was probably lucky to get enough cash without be stolen from like most bands back then plus she probably had to defend herself from outright grapes and at least roaming hands on a daily basis. It was a man's and criminal loaded business and I'm glad she got out alive.
Damn!?? She's GORGEOUS. I was alive when she was popular but of course e saw little of what musicians on the radio looked liked. I miss that.....and it made music better that looks were second usually....but damn, she's very beautiful. Those cheekbones and full lips. Thick brunette hair....
I was going up in the 60's(I was born in 61), and I had a terrific crush on Bobbie Gentry. She was a beautiful lady, with a sexy voice, who was a great singer! ❤
She is STILL the MOST beautiful C & W singers EVER. I remember she married Jim Stafford, who sang "Spiders & Snakes", one of the FUNNIEST songs EVER !! I sure wish she would sing again. I have EVERY album of hers. Just a TRUE Country singer !!
I didn't know much about Bobby Gentry's life but I enjoyed listening to her songs when I was at university. Thanks for informing me. Nice video. Good to see you making them and working a job and caring for your wife. Good luck to you both.
The ‘Ode to Billy Joe, tune brings back memories of when we would take our annual summer vacation to NC to visit our grandmother. Listening to it on various radio stations. It wasn’t until years later I found out the meaning of that tune!
It would be great if she set up an interview on the internet, not in a studio with a presenter. She could do it on her own terms. Maybe some film of her life now, her love of horses, her family etc. Imagine the interest it would create. It would be watched by millions of her fans. If you read this, Bobbie, how about it?
I was 5 in 67' and I was crushing on her, she looked like my Mom, the same age too! Boys always try to find a woman that reminds them of Mom, it's true!
Watching this we discovered she was Roberta Lee Streeter from Mississippi. My husband is a Streeter and his family moved through Mississippi. Turns out they are close cousins! Too cool!!!
"Ode to Billie Joe" was on the radio constantly the summer of 1967. On the country station and top 40. It was bigger than "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was in 1964, and that was Enormous.
Bobbie Gentry split the scene a long time ago. She was done with it. As a Flannery O'Connor fan, I agree that "Ode to Billie Joe" is the epitome of Southern Gothic. Wherever Bobbie is hiding, that will always be an astonishing ballad.
I LOVED.........ODE TO BILLY JOE ....SONG......I BOUGHT HER ALBUM.....I PLAYED IT.... OVER & OVER......HURRY TUESDAY CHILD.....WAS A FAVORITE OF MINE ALSO......I FORGOT ABOUT HER BIG SUCCESS......I WAS 12 YEARS OLD......WHEN I BOUGHT HER MUSIC......THANKS FOR HER STORY......SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL ALSO.....!!!
I respect her Sealth life. After playing music for 45yrs. In front of alot of people , I can personally tell you, I Hate Crowds. And peace and quiet is really nice thing.
We all just now lost Canadian singer/songwriter Gordon Meridith Lightfoot, and Gordon has admitted his deep love of his country of Canada, and how he goes out into the wilderness of his country or goes kyackacking to have quiet personal time to himself, therefore the ability to write even many more songs he composes that touch both the heart and souls of many of his fans who truly appreciate his work. In short, being at times alone does indeed do a person good.
Thanks for this! I didn't know how intense and interesting of an artist this lady was. Of all things, I like it she has a degree in philosophy. The joke is unless you get a PhD it's no good learned this for myself! Point is I never took her seriously till your work here that teaches me of her struggles and courage in music industry. She just wanted to be herself like most of us. Thank you for this video!
When you hear her live performance of “Ode to Billy Joe” do you ever think it’s a true story? I do. I often have wondered how the story line transpired. I’m also intrigued by her flawless guitar picking on the small guitar and how the instrument and her delivery were so spot on perfect. To me it’s mesmerizing. When I play it once, I have to plan in advance because I know I will play it at least 3 times in a row because I feel something I can’t pin point. My thoughts revolve around, was she involved in a murder in real life and felt compelled to admit everything in song or was it a local story people talked about that she picked up on and ran with it as a great poem set to music? She is a high intelligence human and people of this caliber of smarts scare me . She married Jim Stafford, a comedic genius (in my opinion) and I bet he was one of few men that could make her laugh. I’m thankful she made it out of the music jungle and is living a long and presumably fulfilled life. Unlike many of the greats that accomplished similar musical genius feats like Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, Elvis Presley, Johnny Horton, Buddy Holley, Jim Morrison, Hank Williams, Keith Whitley. I often wonder what these amazing talents would have produced if they hadn’t been silenced from tragic events.
Like you I alway imagined ode to billie Joe was a true story ,and it was such a captivating song full of atmosphere and I could imagine being that little girl coming home for lunch after a day in the fields etc . I was surprised that the vlog didn’t mention that , a film was made of the same name was made I presume after some years interpreting the story of the song , I remember Bobbie Benson played the part of Billie Joe ,although I can’t remember exactly how they interpreted the story exactly , I was only a child when I first heard it and didn’t understand it , but late in life I came to believe that the story was a bout a doomed romance ,between Billie and some younger girl possibly the narrator , coming home for lunch .And that the thing object thrown off the bridge was A stillborn baby ,conceived in secret by the couple who desperately needed it to remain secret ! Well that’s what I came up with , probably nothing of the sort . Or some kind of veiled reference to homosexuality ,on the part of Billie which I imagine at that time in the south would have been a big scandal say in the early 1960s or earlier , but the point is it was a spine tingling performance I’ve never forgotten , any one else got a theory ??? If so I’d love to hear it ❤
Thanks Ed. I agree even now after all these years she lives a very private life. She never wanted to be a singer. As she said, she only sang on her demos because it was cheaper than hiring someone to sing the songs she had written. Fame hit her suddenly and hard. In the end however she was able to leave on her terms.
I remember seeing JimStafford and Bobby Gentry during their honeymoon at SpenceManor,when I was working there in the mid 70,s. They both had hit records at the time.
Ode to Billy Joe takes me back to my childhood. I always liked that song. Was a trip to read many years later what she said the song was actually about. Great memories.
What an amazing upload my friend ! You just keep getting better and better with your subtle tweaking of the channel. I'm so happy and proud to be along with you for the ride, my friend ! Really great work bro !
it is I who thank you my friend. Besides you are just happy that your Steelers beat my Tampa Bay today. lol. Seriously thank you. The latest chances weren't my idea they were RU-vid.
@@CMSProductions Hey Dave. It's so kind of you to care enough to check in with me. Short answer. I'm ok, but some seriously rocky family dynamics going on. We'll talk when possible. I haven't been online but a few moments the last few weeks. You're a good friend Dave. Thank you
"There was a virus goin round , Papa caught it and he died last spring , and Now Mama doesn't seem to want to do much of anything ". Lyrics in the song ,Ode to Billy Joe , performed and written by Bobbie Gentry .
Surprising how educated she was. Also The Doors, Jodi Mitchell, and Carley Simon. These people were anything but the "uneducated no talent bums" my parents generation often called them. Some of the smartest, best educated, and talented people ever.
Ode toBillie Joe was unique even today when i hear it i think of a hot sultry summer day and the spookyness of it captures your ear..i was 13 but thought i was or wishing i was 18...great song.
My favorite Bobby Gentry song, probably one of her lesser known ones, is "Ace Insurance Man." The contrast of sarcasm & gossipy lyrics sung in her sultry, Southern style just cracks me up.
2022: Bobbie Gentry (who goes by her original name Roberta Streeter) inks a huge multi million dollar publishing deal with U.M.G(Universal Music Group). She was able to effectively use the clause in American song copyright law that gives a songwriter, or their estate, 100% of publishing rights after 55 years. John Fogerty, Paul Anka and Paul McCartney have also used this clause to obtain favorable new publishing deals. Roberta Streeter chose to stay with U.M.G( who had been in control of her Capitol recordings and publishing for over a decade) because she was impressed on how they were managing her creative assets. Her 2018 box set ,The Girl from Chickasaw County: The Complete Capitol Masters, was a major artistic and commercial success selling 20,000 box sets at nearly 100 dollars each. It earned a 2019 grammy nomination for Best Historical recording. Other deluxe editions of her recordings have sold out within days.
The strings on her hit are a lot to do with making it so emotional. Jimmy Haskell was the number one string composer and arranger in Nashville during the 60's and 70's.
I think she didn't have a huge ego, and once she'd made enough money to get out of the business, she did. I love the urban legend of Ode to Billy Joe - i came across it by fluke and spent good few hours researching it to see if it was true. The film was pretty good too. I love the story told in the song, it was a riveting story.
I never got to see the movie on tv when it was shown, although, I wanted to. To busy working all the time. In 1967, when this song was popular, I was 12 years old. She's like 14 years older than me, however I really liked that song very, very much, Ode To Billy Jo. I now have a CD recording of the song.
She was what made life such a blessing her songs were great and voice so rewarding but her beauty matched legands like liz taylor and her sink like monroe .
Bobbi Gentry wrote Ode To Billie Joe as a longer 5-minute song; but her record company edited it down. Probably why it's so mysterious; because we're only hearing part of the story. Does anybody have access to the rest of the story? The complete lyrics that Bobby Gentry wrote?
@@Teabag697 The gay storyline was the movie they made based on the song. In an interview with Bobby, she was asked what they threw off the bridge, and she wouldn't confirm any particular story. So, if she did have something in mind she kept it to herself! Everyone has their theory of what she meant, but apparently the world will never know for sure. If anyone can reference an interview or article where Bobbie herself confirms the meaning, I'd love to read it!
I don't care where her gated community is as long as she is safe from all the slimy hands I'm sure she delt with daily. I'm glad she was smart enough to out wit the thieves and grapists.
50 cent said he grew up on the streets and did prison time and that did not even begin to prepare him for being in the music industry. Bobby must have been one strong woman to travel that road and be successful. I loved her music and I hope her life had been happy and fulfilling.❤️
You cut it off at a very critical point and started chatting. Listen to it again because when the young preacher man comes by the house, he mentions that he happened to see a girl that looked a lot like her "with" Billy Joe appearing to throw something off the bridge. I was born in 53 and we all thought the song was about abortion. Bobby Gentry was a back up singer and dancer in a Las Vegas Review but her family was upset that she was ruining her reputation. To calm mom and dad down, she left Vegas for California and studied philosophy at UCLA then transferred and received her degree in music from the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music. She majored in music theory, lyrical writing and song composition. She worked through a Temp Agency to pay the bills. I met her at the SDC Recording studio in NYC where she recorded Public Service Announcements. I was the receptionist. She used her philosophical studies to write lyrics. You really have to listen to her songs and realize she was sharing society's issues in her music.
I believe some people are good people. No matter what they’ve heard about. Or, how old they are. While these people may not be naïve. But, when they find themselves in the company of. Or, just around people or a person who aren’t good. They start questioning how it happened. They know they would have never chose this. And, they take their self out of sight. Rather than ever being around trash people.
Oh good, she didn’t really disappear. She’s apparently alive and well and living in a gated community, either in Los Angeles or near Memphis. That’s a relief. I thought maybe the video was going to be about how she was abducted by aliens or something.
@@CMSProductions I understand that you have to use provocative titles to get people to click but I did get the impression that something nefarious had happened to her. It was interesting content so it was worth watching despite the title and the annoying narration.
I guess I was hoping for more of an answer to why BG "disappeared". We already knew the musical data provided in this video. Nonetheless, I hope she found happiness in the next phase of her life.
