Gentry rose to international fame with her intriguing Southern Gothic narrative "Ode to Billie Joe" in 1967.

The two US singles, "Okolona River Bottom Band" and "Louisiana Man", peaked at No.

Local Gentry, her third studio album, was released a short six months later in August 1968.

Two singles were released from this album, "Sweete Peony" and "The Fool on the Hill", neither of which charted.

There additional singles were released from the album, "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head", "He Made a Woman Out of Me", and "If You Gotta Make a Fool Out of Somebody".