gfxgfx
 
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
logo
 
gfx gfx
gfx
680601 Posts in 27601 Topics by 4068 Members - Latest Member: Dae Lims March 29, 2024, 03:45:35 PM
*
gfx*HomeHelpSearchCalendarLoginRegistergfx
gfxgfx
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.       « previous next »
Pages: 1 [2] Go Down Print
Author Topic: Ode to Bobbie Gentry: The music and mystery of a Mississippi Delta Queen  (Read 10782 times)
rn57
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 918


View Profile
« Reply #25 on: June 03, 2016, 03:35:11 PM »

Dusting off this thread because today, the 3rd of June, the Washington Post published an article by a reporter who spoke - or believes she spoke - with Bobbie Gentry for a few seconds recently:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/all-southerners-come-home--as-has-long-disappeared-music-legend-bobbie-gentry/2016/06/02/3988aba2-28df-11e6-a3c4-0724e8e24f3f_story.html

Of rather more interest is this interview from last April with Bobbie's ex Jim Stafford, in which, for the first time since the 1980s, he speaks about her...albeit in a rather specific context, not addressing the usual where is she now thing:

http://www.examiner.com/article/jim-stafford-breaks-silence-on-breathtaking-song-weaver-bobbie-gentry

Next month Bobbie turns 72.
« Last Edit: June 03, 2016, 03:36:24 PM by rn57 » Logged
jeremylr
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Online Online

Gender: Male
Posts: 236



View Profile WWW
« Reply #26 on: June 03, 2016, 09:05:12 PM »

I conducted the interview with Jim Stafford and am so grateful that you shared it here, RN57. I was unaware of the new Washington Post article about the ballsy reporter who may have actually spoken with Bobbie G. Again, thanks so much! Bobbie G never ceases to fascinate me........wonder if she has any round-about Beach Boys connections?
Logged
JakeH
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 131


View Profile
« Reply #27 on: June 03, 2016, 09:45:07 PM »

Well, as you probably know she and the Beach Boys have Glen Campbell in common; he collaborated with both in one form or another.
Her stuff was very, very good; my impression is that she was, or could have been a Joni Mitchell type (roughly speaking, and in terms of being an independent female singer-songwriter in control over what she wanted to do) but because of the socially conservative genre she worked in, and the era she worked in, and the expectations of the label, and all the usual stuff, that she was boxed in, and walked.  I have no idea though, and I too find her story interesting.  "Fancy" is an incredibly dark song which might have said something about how she felt about the music business and her role in it.  Or maybe not.
Logged
JK
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 6053


Maybe I put too much faith in atmosphere


View Profile
« Reply #28 on: June 04, 2016, 04:26:42 AM »

Sorry if I missed this somewhere here, but Ms Gentry shared a bill with the Boys on August 25 and 26, 1967 in Honolulu (the "Lei'd In Hawaii" shows).

Source: http://www.esquarterly.com/bellagio/gigs67.html   
Logged

"Ik bun moar een eenvoudige boerenlul en doar schoam ik mien niet veur" (Normaal, 1978)
You're Grass and I'm a Power Mower: A Beach Boys Orchestration Web Series
the Carbon Freeze | Eclectic Essays & Art
jeremylr
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Online Online

Gender: Male
Posts: 236



View Profile WWW
« Reply #29 on: June 04, 2016, 11:23:14 AM »

Insightful commentary John K & JakeH and most welcome. All of the Beach Boys must have known Bobbie G at least in passing as they shared the concert bill in Honolulu--and possibly other dates--and were all on Capitol Records. Would like to learn more about the group's association with the raven-haired bombshell.

Depends on what day you ask me, but "Fancy" is my favorite Bobbie G tune....no idea why it failed to reach the Billboard Pop Top 30, stalling just shy at No. 31 after its November 22, 1969 chart debut. Nevertheless, it remained on the pop chart for 14 weeks, the same duration as "Ode to Billie Joe" [a No. 1 hit single for four weeks].
« Last Edit: June 04, 2016, 11:24:25 AM by jeremylr » Logged
jeremylr
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Online Online

Gender: Male
Posts: 236



View Profile WWW
« Reply #30 on: August 29, 2018, 12:53:39 PM »

I convinced Universal producer Andrew Batt to go on the record with me and discuss all things pertaining to "The Girl from Chickasaw County — The Complete Capitol Masters," a chronologically sequenced 8-CD box set due out October 12. It contains all seven original Bobbie Gentry studio LP’s enhanced by over 75 unreleased recordings including a lost jazz album...


https://medium.com/@jeremylr/bobbie-gentrys-archivist-explores-colossal-girl-from-chickasaw-county-box-set-d54d316856fb
Bobbie Gentry’s Archivist Explores Colossal ‘Girl from Chickasaw County’ Box Set
« Last Edit: August 29, 2018, 12:54:53 PM by jeremylr » Logged
Lonely Summer
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Online Online

Posts: 3932


View Profile
« Reply #31 on: September 05, 2018, 07:51:39 PM »

That was a wonderful link to the Jim Stafford interview. Hope he will eventually be comfortable talking about Bobbie on the record.

Earlier this week I finally got around to publishing my interview with Grammy-winning arranger Jimmie Haskell (worked with Rick Nelson, Elvis, hundreds of others)


Bobbie Gentry Had The Most Gorgeous Legs Ever: On The Record With Jimmie Haskell
http://www.examiner.com/article/bobbie-gentry-had-the-most-gorgeous-legs-ever-on-the-record-with-jimmie-haskell


Here is what Haskell talks about...

Quote
Haskell sets the record straight on his initial meeting with Gentry (she liked his beard), recording the string arrangement for "Ode to Billie Joe" as if it were a movie, Capitol being initially embarrassed by the recording, how the alluring songwriter handily dealt with the musician who claimed he "produced" "Ode to Billie Joe", and what it was like to receive a Grammy for the legendary song.

Believe it or not, the easy-going and forthright gentleman briefly dated the girl with the most beautiful legs ever. Once she became wealthy, Haskell analyzes whether fame and fortune affected Gentry's personality in an adverse manner. A glaring example: what occurred backstage at a Memphis Symphony concert when a facility manager did not meet her demands.

And has the singer/songwriter attempted to rejuvenate her long-dormant recording career? You might be surprised at Haskell's revelation that an out-of-the-blue phone call after decades of non-communication was poised to reunite the duo in the studio but inexplicably failed to materialize.
It's odd to me that guys rave about her legs - I never saw them! She was always in slacks or something.
Glen's duets with Bobbie were so successful, that later on, Capitol tried pairing him up with Anne Murray. They did an album together, but I don't recall it producing any hits.
And much later, of course, Glen sang with Tanya Tucker....
Logged
gfx
Pages: 1 [2] Go Up Print 
gfx
Jump to:  
gfx
Powered by SMF 1.1.21 | SMF © 2015, Simple Machines Page created in 0.553 seconds with 22 queries.
Helios Multi design by Bloc
gfx
Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!