Saint Louis Blues - Papa John Creach

John Henry Creach was born in Beaver Falls, Pa., on May 28, 1917 into a family of five brothers and four sisters. Members of his musical family played piano, guitar, bass, and drums. His uncle, a merchant seaman, on a visit to Beaver Falls, brought a violin he purchased in Europe. After hearing his uncle play hymns, John was enamored with the violin. His uncle gave him the violin and taught him the basics. John was soon able to play with his sister accompanying him on piano.
During the 1930's, John Creach formed the cabaret band Chocolate Music Bars that played jazz, blues and popular music. They toured the United States and Canada. Later Creach played with Roy Milton's six piece band in Memphis. In 1943 Creach purchased a National electrified violin and amp allowing him to be heard in larger bands. Creach moved to Los Angeles in 1945. For the next 20 years he performed in cocktail lounges in California. He studied and played classical music by day at a symphony workshops. At night he played Jazz. In 1950 he joined Teddy Rudolph's band Three Bits of Rhythm and appeared with them in the nightclub scene of the movie "Cry Danger" starring Dick Powell and Rhonda Fleming.
The Jefferson Airplane invited Creach to make a guest appearance with the them at Winterland in October 1970. Impressed by the audience’s reaction to Creach’s playing, the made him a permanent member of the Jefferson Airplane and Paul Kanter’s side band Hot Tuna. The Airplane members nick named him Papa John.
He toured with the Jefferson Starship in 1992 through 1994. Despite suffering from by arthritis he brought audiences to their feet with soulful electric violin riffs. In January of 1994 he suffered a heart attack during Northridge earthquake and died from pneumonia in February of 1994 at age 76.
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