Bates was a very talented, one legged tap dancer in his time. Bates would dance for nickels and dimes when he would dance on the streets at the very young age of 5. Bates lost his leg in an accident when it was mangled in the conveyor belt of a cotton separator at a mill where he was working, his leg was amputated on the table in his mother's kitchen when he was just twelve years old. He started to dance again using two broomsticks under his arm until his uncle, Whitt Stewart, made his 'peg leg'.

    His signature dance step, known as the 'Imitation American Jet Plane,' in which he would jump five feet in the air and land on his peg leg, with his good leg sticking straight out behind him (like a giant Pigeon Wing.) He toured with many road shows and performed in plays and many Night Clubs both here (USA) and abroad.

    Peg Leg Bates and his wife transformed their 60 acre farm and founded his 'Peg Leg Bates country club' in the Catskils of New York in 1951. Peg-leg made his final TV appearance on the Ed Sullivan show in a Challenge dance against Little Buck. (Youtube)

More to Come!