Papa John Creach facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Papa John Creach
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Creach performing with Jefferson Starship in 1974
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Henry Creach |
| Born | May 28, 1917 Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania United States |
| Died | February 22, 1994 (aged 76) Los Angeles, California United States |
| Genres | Blues, blues rock, psychedelic rock, classical, jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Violin |
| Years active | 1935–1994 |
| Associated acts | Jefferson Airplane (1970–1973) Hot Tuna (1970-1974) Jefferson Starship (1974-1976; 1978 [touring member]) Jefferson Starship - The Next Generation (1992-1994) San Francisco All-Stars (1979–1984) Dinosaurs (1982–1989) Steve Taylor |
John Henry Creach (born May 28, 1917 – died February 22, 1994), known as Papa John Creach, was an American blues violinist. He was famous for playing many types of music, including classical, jazz, R&B, pop, and rock.
Early in his career, he played with many famous musicians like Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole. Later, he joined well-known bands such as Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna, and Jefferson Starship. He also released several solo albums.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Start
John Henry Creach was born in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. When he was a child, his uncle taught him to play the violin. He also took special music lessons at a conservatory, which is a school for music.
In 1935, Creach and his family moved to Chicago.
Music Career Highlights
When Creach moved to Chicago as a teenager, he started playing his violin in local bars. He even played some classical music with orchestras when he was in his early 20s. This was quite rare for a Black musician at that time. He also toured the Midwest with a group called the Chocolate Music Bars.
Creach said that he had to learn many different music styles to make a living as a musician in Chicago. He explained that because of all the different people there, he had to learn to play everything, including German and Polish music.
Learning to play jazz violin was a bit tricky for him. He had to change how he used his bow. But in 1943, he bought an electric violin, which helped him a lot.
Moving to Los Angeles
In 1945, Creach moved to Los Angeles. He played at the Chi Chi Club and even worked on an ocean liner for five years. He also appeared in some movies, including one with Nat King Cole.
Joining Famous Bands
In 1967, Creach met drummer Joey Covington. When Joey Covington joined Jefferson Airplane in 1970, he introduced Creach to the band. That same year, Creach was asked to join both Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna. Hot Tuna was a side band started by Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady from Jefferson Airplane.
Creach played with both groups and also made his own solo albums. He recorded for Jefferson Airplane's record label, Grunt Records.
In 1973, Creach left Hot Tuna. But he stayed with Jefferson Airplane when they changed their name to Jefferson Starship in 1974. He toured and recorded with Jefferson Starship from 1974 to 1975. During this time, they released the very popular album Red Octopus.
In August 1975, Creach left Jefferson Starship to focus on his solo music. However, he remained friends with the band. He even came back briefly to tour with them in 1978.
Later Years and Other Projects
A year later, Creach started working with Joey Covington again in a group called the San Francisco All-Stars. He also played with another band called Dinosaurs.
Creach continued to make guest appearances with Hot Tuna. In 1988, he was playing with them when some original members of Jefferson Airplane, Paul Kantner and Grace Slick, reunited on stage for the first time in many years.
In 1992, Creach joined Paul Kantner in the new version of Jefferson Starship. He played with them until he passed away.
Personal Life and Passing
Papa John Creach passed away on February 22, 1994, at the age of 76. He had been dealing with heart problems that caused fluid to build up in his lungs.
After his death, Jefferson Starship held a special concert to help raise money for his family. They later released recordings from these performances as an album called Deep Space/Virgin Sky.
Discography
Papa John Creach released many albums throughout his career, both as a solo artist and with the bands he played in. Some of his solo albums include Papa John Creach (1971), Filthy! (1972), and I'm The Fiddle Man (1975). He also appeared on many albums with Hot Tuna, Jefferson Airplane, and Jefferson Starship.
