Jim Stafford, “Spiders and Snakes,” and Bobby Gentry: A Look Back
He was born James Wayne Stafford on January 16, 1944, in Winter Haven, Florida. In the early 1970s, he was introduced as Jim Stafford to mainstream pop culture on daytime TV talk shows like The Merv Griffin Show, where he sang hit country-music/novelty songs like Spiders & Snakes, and My Girl Bill. Subsequently, he became a superstar comedian, musician, singer-songwriter, and actor. This is his story.
A Closer Look
Besides Spiders & Snakes, and My Girl, Bill, Jim Stafford’s hit songs include “Swamp Witch,” “Under The Scotsman’s Kilt,” and “Turn Loose of My Leg.”
From 1978 to 1980, Stafford was married to country music star Bobby Gentry, with whom he had a son, Tyler. Stafford also has two adopted children, Schaeffer (who died in 2020 at age 27) and GG (Georgia Garland).
Stafford’s married Gentry in a private ceremony presided over by Tennessee Lieutenant Governor John Wilder. The only guests invited to the Methodist-themed wedding were a reporter and photographer from The Memphis Commercial Appeal.
In 1988, he was hired as the supervising writer for NBC-TV’s The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
Since 1990, Stafford has owned and operated his own theater in Branson, Missouri, where he still performs three…
