It goes without saying that today's fashionable music scene has moved away from the traditional sounds of yesteryear and has seemingly become dominated by electronic noise, choreographed attitude and conceited standards. While this transformation wasn't an immediate occurrence, it's surprising that few people can identify the vibrant characters whose influence have shaped the curves of our contemporary pop industry. With this in mind, I'd like to take a moment to distinguish the achievements of lesser-known trailblazers whose contributions consistently go unacknowledged.
There's a good chance you might have missed the music of Bobbie Gentry, and no one would blame you. Despite the fact that she undoubtedly inspired an assortment of our current mainstream musicians, her short-lived career is often dismissed when compared to other, more "in-your-face" songwriters of the '60s and '70s.
I happened to stumble across Bobbie Gentry one night while dwelling in my lonely teenage bedroom, and rummaging through a pile of decrepit second-hand vinyl. Gentry’s style was a complete contrast to my typical choice of ugly experimental listening, however, I took a chance and spun Bobbie’s dust encrusted record. To my surprise, I was hooked.
After falling deeper and deeper into Gentry's work, I was dazed by the supreme level of strength exuded within her performances. What fascinated me most was her aptitude for simultaneously exemplifying elegance, intelligence and self-mastery. It sounds a little pretentious, but in my mind's eye, Bobbie's laidback performances are as powerful as (if not more than) other more aggressively energetic artists. I recently compared her live performance against GG Allen's, and I gotta say... Bobbie dominates with a fraction of the effort needed. Obviously, I understand both artists are polar opposites in attitude but I firmly believe Gentry commands the stage in a far more effective manner without the use of confrontational showmanship antics.
To say Bobbie Gentry is an inspiration is a severe understatement. Instead, it's important to grasp Gentry’s sharp status as a cutting edge artist; a status which can be defined by her self-made success, self-taught abilities and hands-on approach to creation. Although she only produced a handful of albums, Gentry consistently strived to reach new feats within her career, which ultimately solidified her reputation for daring creativity, graceful intellect and feminine strength.
Gentry’s initial aspirations were not directed towards pop stardom. Originally, she was primarily focused on establishing herself behind the scenes as a ghostwriter for other prominent musicians. This all changed in 1968 when the bigwigs at Capitol Records heard Bobbies' incredible demo records. Without delay, she was signed as an artist in her own right and production was hastily underway on her debut album 'Ode To Billy Joe'. More remarkably, those same early demos would ultimately serve as the final album tracks. Ode To Billy Joe quickly jumped up the US charts, not only topping at number 5 on the Billboard Black Albums Chart but also replacing The Beatles' Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club on the Billboard Top 200. That same year, Gentry would go on to win three Grammy Awards including Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
Gentry’s subsequent albums never reached the same height of commercial notability though this isn’t to say that she didn’t expand her potent imaginative flair. Gentry would continue to hold a majority of creative control over her works; becoming one of the first female artists to compose, sing and produce her own records. This notion of creative independence opened the doors to greater artistic freedom which paved the way for Gentry's early 70s albums. Soon, her songwriting began to establish a contradictory catalyst of lyric and sound which only emphasized her incredible versatility. Her seemingly minimalistic composition structure began boasting a subtle complex charm. The emotionally lyrical storytelling beamed with an underlying self-awareness. Even the genre of her music became blurred as it fluctuated between country, pop, soul and funk.
These factors would culminate in Bobbie's second major hit "Fancy" released in 1969. Described as a feminist statement, the song portrays the narrative of a young girl who slaves her way out of poverty by becoming a thriving female escort. Gentry would later note, "Fancy is my strongest statement for women's lib, if you really listen to it. I agree wholeheartedly with that movement and all the serious issues that they stand for — equality, equal pay, daycare centers, and abortion rights."
Despite the fact that Gentry would release her final studio album 'Patchwork' in 1971, she continued captivating audiences with her onstage Las Vegas act until the late 70s. Noteworthy fans of her Vegas show included the likes of Tom Jones and even the king himself, Elvis Presley. Throughout this time, Gentry would make offhand television appearances before calling it quits in 1982 at the age of 40.
You might be asking yourself at this point “where’s Bobbie now?”
With a colourful career filled with such extraordinary achievements, It just wouldn’t be fitting if Gentry took a cheap traditional approach to pop idol retirement. With years of touring in her rearview mirror, Gentry retreated from the public eye and retired into obscurity (and when I say obscurity, I mean complete nihility). At this point, Gentry has disappeared without a trace. Some reports suggest that she is currently living a secluded life in Tennessee but this is mostly speculative. Honestly, I couldn't imagine a more climactic conclusion and fitting end. Gentry took the music industry for a ride before escaping with her privacy, dignity and money; something many artists have tried and failed to achieve. Like others before me, I daydream about the paper-thin possibility of Bobbie returning to the public eye one day and having the privilege of gaining an ever-elusive interview, but it seems as if she's taken up full-time employment as a professional paparazzi escape artist. As a result, we’re left to stir in the pits of wonder while asking ourselves where she settled... though I guess that’s just part of her unmitigated mystique.
It's puzzling to consider that so many history books have skipped over the Bobbie Gentry chapter. I urge you not to make that same mistake. If this article does one thing, I hope it provides you with a push to listen to Bobbie. Even if you’re a heavy metal junkie or dubstep freak, I recommend you give her a try.
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Here’s a personal prescription for your Gentry country fix:
Ode To Billie Joe [from the 1968 album "Ode To Billy Joe"]
He Made A Woman Out Of Me [from the 1970 album "Fancy"] Fancy [from the 1970 album "Fancy"]
Billy The Kid [from the 1971 album "Patchwork"]