Bobbie Gentry (born 1942) Bobbie Gentry, born Roberta Lee Streeter in Chickasaw County, Mississippi, is an American singer-songwriter who blended country, pop, and Southern gothic storytelling. Rising in 1967 with “Ode to Billie Joe” (No. 1 Hot 100), a mysterious narrative about a suicide and a dropped something from the Tallahatchie Bridge, it sold millions, won Grammys (Best New Artist, Best Female Vocal), and spawned a film. Follow-ups: “Ode to Billie Joe” album tracks, “Fancy” (later Reba McEntire hit), and duets like “All I Have to Do Is Dream” with Glen Campbell. She hosted TV specials, performed Vegas, and produced shows before retiring abruptly in the late 1970s/early 1980s. Gentry has avoided public life since 1982—no interviews, photos, or appearances. As of 2026 (age 83–84), she reportedly lives privately in a gated Memphis-area community, with no recent sightings or activity. Her enigmatic disappearance adds intrigue to her legacy as a trailblazing female composer-producer whose atmospheric, narrative-driven songs influenced country-pop and artists like Taylor Swift.