You're welcome, Rick:

I was inspired to post something about Bobbie Gentry's "Ode To Billie Joe" after watching the movie on our Canadian Cable channel....
at 3 o'clock in the morning! (I couldn't sleep)

What grabbed me was not only how terrific this song was, as written and performed by Bobbie Gentry....
but also the Jimmie Haskell connection.

Bob Shane loved The Kingston Trio's "Something Special" album (rel: 1962)....
and in an interview waaay back in 1998, he said:

"We knew Jimmie Haskell was hired to work on the orchestrations and stuff, but it was done in an unusual way.
Most of the time the orchestra would lay down the track and then you would sing over it.
What we did, we sang the songs, then they made the orchestra track, which was completely different at the time.
The album, to me, was an extremely good album."

- Bob Shane

<> FOR THE RECORD:

In the case of "Ode To Billie Joe" ~> Jimmie Haskell did the same thing he did with The Kingston Trio.
Jimmie Haskell added the orchestral arrangements AFTER Bobbie Gentry had recorded the song accompanying herself on the guitar.

Brucester

<> "She Was Too Good To Me" / Bob Shane (solo)





<> "One More Town" / Nick Reynolds (lead vocal)





<> "Ode To Billie Joe" / Bobbie Gentry