Jim Croce

Jim Croce
Croce photographed by his wife Ingrid in 1972
Croce photographed by his wife Ingrid in 1972
Background information
Birth nameJames Joseph Croce
Born(1943-01-10)January 10, 1943
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedSeptember 20, 1973(1973-09-20) (aged 30)
Natchitoches, Louisiana, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active1964–1973
Labels
Spouse
(m. 1966)
Websitejimcroce.com
Official nameJames Joseph "Jim" Croce (1943–1973)
TypeRoadside
DesignatedMarch 30, 2022

James Joseph Croce (/ˈkr/ KROH-chee;[1] January 10, 1943 – September 20, 1973) was an American folk and rock singer-songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, he released five studio albums and numerous singles. During this period, Croce took a series of odd jobs to pay bills while he continued to write, record and perform concerts. After Croce formed a partnership with the songwriter and guitarist Maury Muehleisen in the early 1970s, his fortunes turned. Croce's breakthrough came in 1972, when his third album, You Don't Mess Around with Jim, produced three charting singles, including "Time in a Bottle", which reached No. 1 after Croce died. The follow-up album Life and Times included the song "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown", Croce's only No. 1 hit during his lifetime.

On September 20, 1973, at the height of his popularity and the day before the lead single to his fifth album, I Got a Name, was released, Croce and five others died in a plane crash. His music continued to chart throughout the 1970s following his death. Croce's widow and early songwriting partner, Ingrid, continued to write and record after his death. Their son, A. J. Croce, became a singer-songwriter in the 1990s.

  1. ^ Croce, Ingrid (November 2, 2012). An Afternoon With Ingrid Croce. Villanova University. Event occurs at 16:38. Retrieved February 12, 2024.