Bobbie Gentry’s ‘Fancy’ by way of Reba McEntire’s producer Tony Brown
The Tony Brown Interview, Part Five
Between 1980 and 2010 Reba McEntire amassed 24 number ones and a further 34 Top Ten country hits. McEntire’s interpretation of “Fancy” unfurled side two of her 17th studio album Rumor Has It and was earmarked as the LP’s third single in February 1991 following “You Lie” and the title cut. All Music Guide’s William Ruhlmann elucidates, “Rumor Has It is more of an adult contemporary pop record than a country record, except that McEntire’s singing voice retained some of its Oklahoma twang.” “Fancy” stands as her most-played catalog hit on country radio and one of your greatest productions. I wonder if listeners are acquainted with the original soul-drenched version, waxed by Bobbie Gentry and FAME Studios owner Rick Hall some 20 years earlier in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. A break-out star with 1967’s enigmatic “Ode to Billie Joe,” the Mississippi Delta Queen’s prototype faced boycotts in smaller markets over its controversial lyrical content and rose no higher than No. 31 POP, No. 26 C&W during a 14-week Billboard residency, while McEntire’s vaulted into the Top Ten.
If not, they should be. Bobbie and Rick cut a stone-cold classic. I didn’t know Muscle Shoals was where “Fancy” was originally recorded or that ours charted higher.
I interviewed Mr. Hall twice in late 2013 in the wake of Freddy Camalier’s thoroughly moving Muscle Shoals documentary, primarily regarding Bobbie and Jerry Reed. Less than five years later the “Father of Muscle Shoals Music” lost a battle with prostate cancer at age 85. He was an intimidating presence.
Did he still have that handlebar mustache that looked like he had used wax to curl it up at the ends?
Unfortunately, I never came face to face with Mr. Hall. Our conversations occurred by telephone, yet photos reveal he never shaved his trademark moustache.
Rick used to come see me about once a year in Nashville [Mr. Hall was primarily focused on country quintet Shenandoah, featuring frontman Marty Raybon, in the late ’80s and early ’90s, although he also found time to collaborate with T.G. Sheppard, Vern Gosdin, Billy Joe Royal, and Dukes of Hazzard alum Tom Wopat]. He’d walk into my MCA office, sit down in front of my desk, and hold court. I just sat there mesmerized going ‘God, this guy’s cut some of my favorite records [e.g. Wilson Pickett’s “Land of 1,000 Dances,” Aretha Franklin’s “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You),” Clarence Carter’s “Patches,” Mac Davis’ “Baby, Don’t Get Hooked on Me,” Jerry Reed’s “She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)”, and Shenandoah’s “Sunday in the South”], and he’s a weirdo’ [laughs]. Rick was such an iconic character.
I hesitate to say this, but Mr. Hall insisted to me that “Reba’s cover was a piece of s**t compared to Bobbie’s original version. Reba’s was all country and all guitar, had no horns on it [Jimmie Haskell supplied them in ‘69], no sound effects, and didn’t create any kind of a mood. Tony Brown just went in and used guitars. It sounded like he cut ‘Fancy’ in two or three hours.”
Wow…he really said that? I actually saw Bobbie and Glen Campbell in Oklahoma City [most likely on March 13, 1968, at the Civic Center Music Hall; Campbell was advertised as a “guest star in the Bobbie Gentry Show.” A few weeks earlier at the Grammys Gentry collected three trophies including Best New Artist for “Ode to Billie Joe” while the future True Grit Texas Ranger took home four awards for “Gentle on My Mind” and “By the Time I Get to Phoenix.” The next month Gentry and Campbell commenced sessions for their self-titled duets LP, with a cover of the Everly Brothers’ “Let It Be Me” seizing center stage. Campbell’s stardom was on the ascent, but Gentry only placed one subsequent A-side in the Pop Top 40 — “Fancy” in November 1969].
I played piano for J.D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet [In 1971 the Southern gospel group replaced the Imperials as Elvis Presley’s backing vocalists. Brown was out of the lineup, instead accompanying the Blackwood Brothers briefly until January 1972 when the Oak Ridge Boys hired him in their evolution from gospel to best-selling country pop quartet. When Sumner’s nephew Donnie founded country-gospel trio Voice, Presley was so enamored that he requested they sing harmony onstage with him along with the Stamps and the Sweet Inspirations. On September 27, 1974, Brown found himself tickling the ivories for Voice and warming up the audience before the King of Rock ’n’ Roll’s infamous main event in College Park, Maryland. He graduated to Presley’s revered TCB Band permanently on April 21, 1976, in the wake of Glen D. Hardin jumping ship to play for Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band]. The Stamps were also at the Civic Center as we had a show there the day after Bobbie and Glen’s concert. Somehow I commandeered a pass to attend their gig because I was just in awe to see them play.
When we decided to cut “Fancy” on Reba [in April 1990 at Emerald Sound Studio on Nashville’s Music Row; the studio was acquired in 2021 by Warner Chappell Music after threats of razing and renamed Sandtrack Sound], I wondered how could we possibly top Bobbie and Rick’s original record. It turned into a fun challenge as our cover progressively grew a little bigger and more produced, and I feel it sounds better. To tell you the truth, I like Reba’s version just as good as Bobbie’s. Muscle Shoals was all about totally authentic grit and edge, so I can see why Rick wouldn’t like what we did. Ironically enough, Rick cut his own share of really slick stuff in his lifetime [e.g. Donny & Marie and the Osmonds, Wayne Newton, Paul Anka, and Mac Davis].
Mr. Hall may have been jealous deep down, as Reba’s rendition is more universally known.
Your reasoning is not far-fetched. My first full album with Reba was Rumor Has It [In 1987 Brown was responsible for “Away in a Manger” and “On This Day,” the first two tracks from McEntire’s Merry Christmas to You]. Rumor Has It was my first time cutting a superstar for MCA, because Jimmy Bowen had left to go to Capitol Records. I inherited Reba and George Strait at about the same time. George was preparing to film what turned out to be his only acting role. The Pure Country soundtrack ended up selling more copies than any of his other albums [certified 6x platinum by the RIAA].
During the sessions for Rumor Has It, Reba said, “Do you like the song ‘Fancy?’” I replied, “God, I love that song. I actually saw Bobbie Gentry in Oklahoma City not long before she wrote and recorded it.” “Well, I wanna cut ‘Fancy.’ Jimmy would never let me do it. I said, “You’ve gotta be kidding. Let’s do it.” Looking back, I’m so glad Jimmy refused.
Once we had the master, I was inside my office one afternoon. Bruce Hinton had taken over Jimmy’s place as head of MCA [Brown supplanted Hinton as president in 1993]. Bruce told me, “I heard you cut ‘Fancy.’” “We did.” “How’d it turn out?” “It’s a smash. Reba just owns that song.” “I was afraid of that.” “What do you mean?” “Do you know what it’s about? A poverty-stricken country girl goes uptown at her mama’s urging and becomes a prostitute in order to survive!” I had no idea that’s what “Fancy” was about. In my mind I didn’t think that way [laughs]. To this day, whenever I listen to “Fancy,” Bobbie’s lyrical content doesn’t dawn on me. Our record stalled in the Top Ten [No. 8 C&W], yet it’s her biggest hit in terms of career longevity [“Fancy” and 2009’s “Consider Me Gone” are the only McEntire A-sides to have verifiable platinum sales]. If you go see Reba live and she doesn’t sing “Fancy” as her show-stopping finale, you’re gonna be really upset. And it wasn’t even a number one record.
DON’T GO ANYWHERE YET! In Part Six below, Tony Brown details his latest investment in Drake Milligan [“he looks like Elvis, but he writes songs like George Strait”], the Americana, left-of-center EmiSunshine, and “Alright Guy” proven hitmaker Gary Allan.
© Jeremy Roberts, 2021. All rights reserved. The Tony Brown interview was edited for clarity, brevity, and sequenced cohesively. To touch base, email [email protected] and mention which story led you my way. I appreciate it sincerely.