June 3 is unofficially Bobbie Gentry Day, as that s the day the singer s most famous character jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge in the smash hit Ode to Billie Joe. Fifteen years later, Gentry herself would jump to obscurity . but why?
This week s episode of the
History of Country Music Podcast explores Gentry s sudden disappearance after the 1982 ACM Awards, and revisits attempts made to reach her in recent years. To understand why she left or at the very least, to theorize about it you needs to understand her raising and her reluctance to be a country superstar. Gentry (born Roberta Lee Streeter) had songwriting dreams, but her impressive musicianship and command of the stage led her to an inevitable career as an artist.
June 3 is unofficially Bobbie Gentry Day, as that's the day the singer's most famous character jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge in the smash hit Ode To Billie Joe.