ODE TO BOBBIE G.

One of the things I really love about working from home is that once my project is finished for that period, I have time to do things like transfer original VINYL RECORD ALBUMS & 45s to MP3's with my Numark USB Turntable. True, I hate the belt drive, every now & then the motor grunts & you can hear it, and it ain't jack compared to my Techniques. So today I ripped several LPs by Bobbie Gentry and wow, I am totally blown away. Such a short career, but one of such originality & integrity. There ain't no one like her, she had such a unique blend of Country, Pop & especially hot southern R&B, it's seems a disservice to refer to her under a genre label, but the record industry being run by a majority of idiots then as now, the C&W specification remains for this brilliant entertainer. I particularly dug her second album THE DELTA SWEETE , with it's song cycle blend of tracks into one anther, the same weeping willow strings that colored her biggest hit ODE TO BILLY JOE breezing thru the proceedings- it really seems like a concept album to me, sort of DUSTY IN MEMPHIS meets SGT. PEPPERS. The track included here today is from the same album, and MISS VENTUR tells me that her mother used to tease her & her sisters with the scolding MAMA lines. Along with other favorite female artists who worked within what Pat Faville refered to as a "unique artistic vision.." such as Judy Henske and Judee Sill , I add BOBBY the Chickasaw County Firecracker. Not only is there not a bad track on the several LPs I ripped today (Ode To BJ, Delta Sw.,Local Gentry, Fancy) but you would be hard pressed to find any that sound alike, or really even remotely similar on the Country OR pop charts. She only recorded 6 albums before retiring from performing in the 1970s, but all have been deleted in their original form, but cheap ass CURB records collections seem readily available, I urge y'all to pick 'em up when you see 'em in the goodwills or yard-sales, tou'll be really glad you did. Also, I've included a track from FANCY, which I've always loved simply for the reason that she yelps after the first verse and blows out the mic, but the disorted vocals really enhance the hot late night Memphis R&B atmosphere, along with some amazing work from the gorn section. Dig-um!