Originally founded in 1833 by John D. Defrees as the Michigan Statesman and St. Joseph Chronicle, the paper's name was shortened to the Michigan Statesman after it was purchased by Henry Gilbert. The paper became the Kalamazoo Gazette in 1837.
Kreutz studied English at New York University, graduating in 1970 and joined a band, playing bass guitar, which made an album for Atlantic Records named Side Show in 1970, with Paul Giovanni, Cissy Houston, Ken Zeserson, Ken Bischel, and 'Moog'. He then enrolled at the Art Students League, and won Best in Show at the Washington Square Outdoor Art show after graduation. He wrote 'Problem Solving for Oil Painters' and 'Oil Painting Essentials', and three plays published by Samuel French: 'Bottoms Up!', 'Academia Nuts', 'Death by Golf'.