(December 30th 1890 - October 23rd 1951)

Born Charles Cyril Creath in Ironton, Missouri in 1890 he developed formidable abilities on saxophone, accordion, and trumpet while traveling with circuses and theater bands during the early part of the 20th Century. Returning to St. Louis in 1919 Charlie Creath became a prominent trumpeter and bandleader of the local 1920's jazz scene. He led bands on the Streckfus Riverboat Line between New Orleans and St. Louis on the Mississippi River before moving to Chicago and opening a night club in 1938.