Peetie Wheatstraw Marker

Peetie Wheatstraw, whose real name was William Bunch, was born in Ripley, Tenn., but raised in Cotton Plant. He left Arkansas in 1927 and later settled in East St. Louis. This flamboyant singer, pianist and guitarist recorded more than 160 songs during the 1930s and gained much acclaim. He billed himself at the “Devil’s Son-In-Law” and the “High Sheriff from Hell.” He died in an auto accident in 1941 and is buried in Crowders Cemetery near Cotton Plant. A stop on the Arkansas Delta Music Trail: Sounds from the Soil and Soul.