Jim Croce had a short yet jam-packed career full of wisdom, success, and some of the greatest songs of the 60s and 70s. However, his career came to an abrupt end when Croce tragically passed in a plane accident in 1973 at Natchitoches airport in Los Angeles, California. Prior to his death, Croce’s work and persona rivaled the greats such as Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, and Joni Mitchell. Though, what took them decades took Croce just a short few years.
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Between 1966 and 1973, Jim Croce released five studio albums and several singles that would on to become acclaimed and legendary songs. In those short seven years in the music industry, Croce released the illustrious songs “Time In A Bottle”, “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown”, “I Got A Name”, and “Operator”. You’ve surely heard at least one of these songs, but you may not have remembered the singer attached to them.
During his career, Croce never won any awards, nor did he garner mass notoriety. Rather, he spent the majority of his time writing songs and playing at small venues, such as Northwestern State University in Louisiana in 1973, shortly before his death. Despite his fairly short career, his legacy still went on to grow to become bigger than himself.
Making it big was seemingly never Croce’s plan, as he just wanted to divulge universal truths within his sentimental songs. In short, Croce’s career mimics other folk artists such as Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley, Jackson C. Frank, and several others.
Jim Croce’s Larger Than Life Legacy
Following his death in 1973, Jim Croce went on to become a household name, and his work has outlived him. Tragically, Croce didn’t truly get the credit he deserved until after his passing, as the world finally knew who he was, and he went on to win the American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist posthumously.
In addition to the award, several of the biggest names in music kept his name alive by covering his songs. Some of those musicians include Dolly Parton, Frank Sinatra, and Eric Church. Jim Croce is by no means ultra-famous, but he’s also not entirely obscure. Rather, he sits in the sweet spot that makes discovering him all the better.
If you aren’t familiar with Croce, you should be. His work pleasantly dissects the human condition in a manner that demands immediate introspection. He is truly one of the greatest songwriters of all time, and consequently, his work will live on forever.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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