The incredible Bobbie Gentry performing Fancy, which she wrote and sang first. Southern drag queens introduced me to this story song about a hooker who gets rich--including one Chattanooga queen named Brooke Farris, who transitioned and married a millionaire. Bobbie also wrote and recorded the haunting smash hit Ode To Billie Joe. Quite the talent! | Lady Bunny

On August 5, 1967, Bobbie Gentry leapt into our communal consciousness with an unforgettable piece of songwriting paired with a uniquely compelling performance. “Ode to Billie Joe” was a startling example of the songwriter as a moving storyteller, painting a picture that you are unable to get out of your mind. That August day some 53 years ago is when the song first charted on the Billboard Hot 100, and here is Bobbie with--as we said on her birthday—her signature work. Bobbie Gentry Fans * The