Bobbi Staff born 1946

 Bobbi Staff (born 1946) is an American singer of pop and country songs in the 1960’s.

Bobbi Staff was born Barbara Grindstaff  in Cleveland Memorial Hospital Shelby NC.  Her father Ervin M. Grindstaff was the owner of a furniture store in Forest City where Barbara began competing in local talent shows at the age of 10. She appeared on the national Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour and became a regular on the George Hamilton IV television show. She performed frequently on the Arthur Smith talent Show on WBTV.

Barbara adopted the stage name “Bobbi Staff” while she was recording for RCA in the 60’s. With 26 other Americans Grindstaff represented the United States in a 1957 tour of Europe. 

She performed abroad in the summer of 1958. She took national honours in the United Nations Oratorical Contest. In 1961 she graduated from Cool Springs High School. She performed for 'my' queen Juliana and President LBJ in 1963. In 1964 she moved to Nashville and was staying with her manager and his wife in a mansion on Franklin Road near Brentwood. She recorded for RCA from 1965 – 1968 with Chet Atkins as producer.

                              

Chicken feed was Bobbi's only chart hit, #31 in 1966, on the Billboard country chart. Her records are a mix between pop and country. The twist ending on "He Can Be Your Baby" should have made it a hit.

She married Jerry Whitehurst, who was the pianist for the television show Hee Haw and who played at the Grand Old Opry. They had a son and daughter. Barbara had her own daytime television show before her retirement.

Barbara stopped recording and performing around 1969 when she became pregnant with her daughter. Barbara divorced Jerry Whitehurst in the late 70 – early 80’s and she never remarried. As of 2012 relatives of Bobbi stated that Barbara was still alive and well and living in Nashville. She had two children, a daughter and a son. In 2019 it was reported that Bobbi was in a nursing home in Nashville Tennessee.

(Scarce information edited from Legendary Locals of Rutherford County, North Carolina & Obscure Singers)