D'arcy Wretzky

D'arcy Elizabeth Wretzky (born May 1, 1968 in South Haven, Michigan) is an American musician. She is best known for her work as the original bass player of the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. During her tenure with the band, Wretzky played almost exclusively a Fender Jazz Bass, occasionally playing a Fender Precision Bass. Wretzky was born and raised in Michigan, where her mother, a musician working as a lounge singer, encouraged D'arcy and her sisters to perform music. Growing up, she played the violin and oboe, and performed in choirs. She also performed gymnastics. She would later refer to her father, a pipefitter with a love of horseback riding, as "a very strange man." The young Wretzky was a self-described "tomboy", and had a contentious relationship with her sister. She attended South Haven's L.C. Mohr High School, where she grew interested in post-punk and played in cover bands. After high school, she moved to France to join a band, but the band had already disbanded upon her arrival, prompting her to return to the United States. She then moved to Chicago and spent the summer living with friends and attending concerts. After a concert at a local rock club,