Bobbie Gentry

The career of the enigmatic Bobbie Gentry is celebrated on a remarkable new box set.  The 8-CD collection The Girl from Chickasaw County: The Complete Capitol Masters collects all seven of Gentry's 1967-1971 Capitol Records studio albums plus more than 75 previously unreleased recordings.  This treasure trove of lost material includes a completed "jazz" album, outtakes, demos, and other rarities including the live performances from her BBC show of 1968-1969.  (Some of these were issued on vinyl this year for Record Store Day; there are additional tracks here.)  The box contains an 84-page book with an essay and rare and unpublished photos, as well as a replica of Gentry's handwritten lyrics to "Ode to Billie Joe," and four postcards.  David Downton has provided the new cover art.