Once he relocated to
Chicago, the teenager began playing violin in bars. He performed some symphonic work when he was in his early 20s, which was unusual for a black musician at the time. According to Creach, knowing how to play in a variety of styles was a necessity to survive as a musician in Chicago at the time: He had some difficulty in learning to play jazz violin, having to adjust his bowing technique, but was helped when he purchased an electric violin in 1943. Moving to Los Angeles in 1945, he played in the Chi Chi Club, worked on an
ocean liner for five years, including with
Nat King Cole in
Fritz Lang's
The Blue Gardenia, and performed as a duo with
Nina Russell. Creach initially met and befriended drummer Joey Covington at a union
hiring hall in Los Angeles in 1967. When Covington joined
Jefferson Airplane in 1970, he introduced Creach to them. In autumn 1970, he was invited to join both Jefferson Airplane and
Hot Tuna,
Jorma Kaukonen and
Jack Casady's side band. He remained with both groups while also recording and touring as a solo artist for Jefferson Airplane's
Grunt Records. During this period, his backing band Zulu included guitarist
Keb' Mo'. Creach left Hot Tuna in 1973, but remained on board when Jefferson Airplane was reorganized as
Jefferson Starship in 1974. He toured and recorded with Jefferson Starship from 1974 to 1975, a period that included platinum selling album
Red Octopus (1975). Nevertheless, he remained on amicable terms with the group and briefly returned as a touring member for the band's spring 1978 engagements. A year later, Creach renewed his working relationship with Covington as a member of the San Francisco All-Stars. He also performed with Covington's Airplane predecessor
Spencer Dryden as a member of
Dinosaurs. Creach continued to make occasional guest appearances with Hot Tuna. He was performing with them at the
Fillmore Auditorium in 1988 when
Jack Casady and
Jorma Kaukonen of Hot Tuna reunited with
Paul Kantner and
Grace Slick for the first time on stage since 1972. In 1992, Creach joined Kantner as a member of the relaunched Jefferson Starship and performed with them until his death. ==Death==