Peetie wheat straw biography of alberta

For the 1978 film, see Petey Wheatstraw (film).

Musical artist

William Bunch (December 21, 1902 – December 21, 1941),^[1] known as Peetie Wheatstraw, was an American musician, an influential figure among 1930s blues singers.

Peetie wheat straw biography of alberta

Early life and career

William Bunch was born in Ripley, Tennessee, in 1902,^[1][2] the son of James Bunch and Mary (Burns) Bunch.^[3] There is some speculation Wheatstraw may have been born in Cotton Plant, Arkansas, where he was buried, and blues musician Big Joe Williams stated that this was his hometown.^[4]

The earliest biographical facts come from the musicians Henry Townsend and Teddy Darby, who remember Wheatstraw moving to East St.

Louis, Illinois,^[1] in the late 1920s. He was already a proficient guitarist but a limited pianist. The only known photograph of him shows him holding a National brand tricone resonator guitar, but he played the piano on most of his record