She skyrocketed to fame with a song that didn’t sound like anything anyone had ever heard before. It was gentle yet tense, lurid yet mysterious. “Ode to Billie Joe” was driven by Bobbie Gentry’s trademark acoustic guitar groove. Her low Mississippi drawl made it seem like she was murmuring secrets in your ear. On this episode, Grant Stovel explores the captivating legacy of an artist who has one of most sensational success stories in all of popular music. She also has one of its most fascinating and enigmatic disappearing acts. Tara Murtha, author of Bobbie Gentry’s ‘Ode to Billie Joe’ is Grant’s guest on this week’s Hidden Track.
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