HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOBBIE GENTRY

Bobbie Gentry is an American singer and songwriter who gained fame (in the late 1960s) for her critically acclaimed single, “Ode to Billie Joe”. This folklore classic topped the charts in America, and earned Gentry a total of three Grammy Awards, including “Best New Artist”.

In 1971, with her popularity on a high, she was given her own U.K. television variety show called “The Bobbie Gentry Happiness Hour”. Her unique storytelling ability set her apart from other artists of her time, and in the year 2020, she was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

On this very day, July 27th 1942, Roberta Lee Streeter (known professionally as Bobbie Gentry) was born in Woodland, Mississippi. In celebration of her birthday, exactly 82 years ago today, I’ve chosen the song that made her famous. If you’d like to have a listen, please feel free to use the provided link. Released in July 1967, here’s today’s birthday girl, BOBBIE GENTRY, with “ODE TO BILLIE JOE”….