Papa John Creach | |
|---|---|
 Creach performing with Jefferson Starship in 1974 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Henry Creach |
| Born | May 28, 1917 Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | February 22, 1994 (aged 76) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Blues, blues rock, psychedelic rock, classical, jazz |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Violin |
| Years active | 1935–1994 |
| Formerly of | 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 (May 28, 1917 – February 22, 1994),[1] better known as Papa John Creach, was an American blues violinist who also played classical, jazz, R&B, pop and acid rock music.[2] Early in his career, he performed as a journeyman musician with Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Stuff Smith, Charlie Christian, Big Joe Turner, T-Bone Walker, Nat King Cole and Roy Milton.[2]
Following his rediscovery by drummer Joey Covington in 1967, he fronted a variety of bands (including Zulu and Midnight Sun) in addition to playing with Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna, Jefferson Starship, the San Francisco All-Stars (1979–1984), Dinosaurs (1982–1989) and Steve Taylor.
Creach recorded a number of solo albums and guested at several Grateful Dead and Charlie Daniels Band concerts. He was a regular guest at the early annual Volunteer Jams, hosted by Charlie Daniels, which exposed him to a new audience that was receptive to fiddle players.[3]