re: 50 years ago today RIP Jim Croce

On This Day!

Dec 29, 1973: Jim Croce’s Posthumous ‘Time in a Bottle’ Hits #1



“Time In A Bottle” was released posthumously and subsequently became the classic rock performer’s second #1 chart hit on this day in 1973. (Earlier that year, Croce saw his “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” become his first chart topper.)

In his short time as a successful folk-rock singer-songwriter, he displayed a warm and at times lovingly humorous gift for telling stories and conveying emotions with a genuinely populist touch. Combined with his gifts as a performer, it augured a long and winning career.



His break came when he began working with the production team of Terry Cashman and Tommy West, and subsequently signed a deal with ABC Records. Croce’s 1972 debut album You Don’t Mess Around With Jim yielded him a #8 single with its snappy title tune and a #17 hit with the affecting “Operator (That’s Not the Way it Feels). ”

Croce died on tour when his plane crashed just after take-off in Natchitoches, LA. Also killed were his accompanist, Maury Muehleisen, manager/booking agent, road manager, the comedian George Stevens who was Croce’s opening act, and the pilot. In just two years as a national presence, Croce became a beloved artist whose songs still play and resonate with listeners on the radio.


In his all-too-brief career, Croce earned five Top 10 singles. We can only imagine how many more he would have gifted us.

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wife received a note just after he died saying he was planning on quitting music.

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Story I heard was it was quitting touring.

I guess that pecan tree was a good producer, until it wasn’t.

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Yep. It’s a shame no one had to foresight to not remove a damn pecan tree at the end of a run way.

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If you look at how low the wreckage was in that tree that plane was barely above the fence posts. We’ll never know but we will always have Croce music.