Charlie Creath
Encyclopedia
Charles Cyril "Charlie" Creath (December 30, 1890, Ironton, Missouri
– October 23, 1951, Chicago
) was an American jazz
trumpeter, saxophonist, accordionist, and bandleader.
Creath played in traveling circus
es and in theater bands in the decade of the 1900s, and moved back to St. Louis, Missouri
around 1919. There he led bands playing on the Streckfus company's riverboat
s traveling on the Mississippi River
between New Orleans and St. Louis. His ensembles were so popular that he had several bands under his own name at one time in the 1920s. He co-led a group on the SS Capitol in 1927 with Fate Marable
. Late in the 1920s he suffered from an extended illness, and primarily played saxophone and accordion instead of trumpet afterwards. He and Marable played together again from 1935 to 1938, and toward the end of the decade Creath opened a nightclub
in Chicago. He worked in an airplane manufacturing plant during World War II
and retired in 1945. His last years were plagued with illness.
Aside from his brother-in-law, Zutty Singleton, members of Creath's bands included Ed Allen
, Pops Foster
, Jerome Don Pasquall
, and Lonnie Johnson
. He recorded as a leader for Okeh Records
between 1924 and 1927.
Ironton, Missouri
Ironton is a city in Iron County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,471 at the 2000 census and is 12 Miles South Of Belgrade. It is the county seat of Iron County.-Geography:Ironton is located at...
– October 23, 1951, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
) was an American jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
trumpeter, saxophonist, accordionist, and bandleader.
Creath played in traveling circus
Traveling Circus
Traveling Circus is the fifth studio album by American country music singer Phil Vassar. It was released on December 15, 2009 as his second album for the Universal South Records label. The album contains the singles "Bobbi with an I" and "Everywhere I Go," both of which have charted on the U.S....
es and in theater bands in the decade of the 1900s, and moved back to St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
around 1919. There he led bands playing on the Streckfus company's riverboat
Riverboat
A riverboat is a ship built boat designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury units constructed for entertainment enterprises, such...
s traveling on the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
between New Orleans and St. Louis. His ensembles were so popular that he had several bands under his own name at one time in the 1920s. He co-led a group on the SS Capitol in 1927 with Fate Marable
Fate Marable
Fate Marable was a jazz pianist and bandleader.Marable was born in Paducah, Kentucky, and learned piano from his mother. At age 17, he began playing on the steam boats plying the Mississippi River...
. Late in the 1920s he suffered from an extended illness, and primarily played saxophone and accordion instead of trumpet afterwards. He and Marable played together again from 1935 to 1938, and toward the end of the decade Creath opened a nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
in Chicago. He worked in an airplane manufacturing plant during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and retired in 1945. His last years were plagued with illness.
Aside from his brother-in-law, Zutty Singleton, members of Creath's bands included Ed Allen
Ed Allen (musician)
Ed Allen was an American jazz trumpeter and cornetist.Allen's family moved to St. Louis, Missouri when he was seven; he began playing piano at age ten and settled on cornet soon after. He worked as a truck driver in his teens and played in military bands...
, Pops Foster
Pops Foster
George Murphy "Pops" Foster was a jazz musician best known for his vigorous playing of the string bass. He also played the tuba and trumpet professionally....
, Jerome Don Pasquall
Jerome Don Pasquall
Jerome Don Pasquall was an American jazz reed player.Pasquall grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and played early in his life on the mellophone in brass bands. He served in the Army in 1918 in the 10th Cavalry Band, and picked up clarinet during this time...
, and Lonnie Johnson
Lonnie Johnson
Alonzo "Lonnie" Johnson was an American blues and jazz singer/guitarist and songwriter who pioneered the role of jazz guitar and is recognized as the first to play single-string guitar solos...
. He recorded as a leader for Okeh Records
Okeh Records
Okeh Records began as an independent record label based in the United States of America in 1918. From 1926 on, it was a subsidiary of Columbia Records.-History:...
between 1924 and 1927.