The song "Ode to Billie Joe" was written and recorded by Bobbie Gentry,
a singer-songwriter from Chickasaw County, Mississippi. The single,
released in late July, was a number-one hit in the U.S. and became a
big international seller. Billboard ranked the record as the No. 3 song for
1967. The song is ranked #412 on Rolling Stone‘s list of "the 500 Greatest
Songs of All Time". It generated eight Grammy nominations, resulting in
three wins for Gentry and one win for arranger Jimmie Haskell.

Bobbie Gentry (Roberta Lee Streeter) will be 73 on July 27.

The single “Surfin’ U.S.A.” peaked at number two in the chart of the Music
Vendor trade paper (within a year renamed Record World) and at number
three on the Billboard and Cash Box charts.

Billboard ranked song the number 2 song of 1963. It has since become 
an example of the California Sound. It is also part of the The Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list.

The song "Peggy Sue" was written by Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison, and Norman
Petty. It was originally called "Cindy Lou", named for Buddy’s niece, but was
later changed to "Peggy Sue" in reference to Crickets drummer Jerry Allison‘s
girlfriend (and future wife), Peggy Sue Gerron. The song went to #3 on the
Billboard Top 100 chart in 1957. It is currently ranked as the 106th greatest
song of all time, as well as the third best song of 1957, by Acclaimed Music.

Norman Petty in the Clovis recording studio control room.

The single “Surfin’ U.S.A”  peaked at number two in the chart of the Music
Vendor trade paper (within a year renamed Record World) and at number
three on both the Billboard and Cash Box charts. It was backed with "Shut
Down”. Billboard ranked "Surfin’ U.S.A." the number 2 song of 1963 and is
part of the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock
and Roll list.

Robert Joseph "Bobby" Bare, Sr. was born in Ironton, Ohio.

Bobby Bare was signed by musician Chet Atkins in 1962 to RCA Records
where he recorded the hit "500 Miles Away From Home” in 1963.

A #3 hit for Bobby in early 1965.