Song:You Don't Mess Around With Jim
Album:Photographs & Memories: His Greatest Hits
Jim Croce was well on his way to becoming one of the most popular singer songwriters of the 70s when he died in a plane crash on Sept. 20, 1973 at age 30. You Don't Mess Around With Jim was his first top ten hit in 1972. He was born Jan. 10, 1943 in Philadelphia. His blue collar appeal was not contrived as after graduating high school in 1960, Croce worked construction before enrolling at Villanova University. He worked the coffee house circuit and also married his wife Ingrid. They worked as a duo for several years and released an album on Capitol in 1969 produced by Tommy West whose group Cashman, Pistilli & West was recording for Capitol. When things didn't work out in New York City or on Capitol, Jim & Ingrid Croce moved back to Philadelphia. He continued to perform on the side while working various jobs including driving trucks, construction, selling ads at a local radio station. He even enlisted in the US Army. A lot of Croce's songs are about characters he met along the way. In 1970, he finally got his big break when his old college pal Joe Salviulo introduced him to singer songwriter Maury Meuhlheisen. By this time, Tommy West and partner Terry Cashman took their act Cashman & West to ABC Records and were also producers. They liked Meuhlheisen's songs and planned to record him. The initial plan was for Croce to back up Meulheisen. But they decided Croce was more charismatic so he was made the leader. You Don't Mess Around With Jim was Croce's first single and it reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972. The song is about a pool hustler that Croce probably met at a truck stop. The album You Don't Mess Around With Jim topped the Billboard Hot 200 and was certified Gold. Then Bad, Bad Leroy Brown became Croce's first number one hit single. Croce was on his way to a long career in music when on Sept. 20, 1973, his plane crashed while taking off in Louisiana. Croce, Meuhlheisen and the other passengers all died in the crash. Of course his death made him even more popular when Time In A Bottle topped the charts. Croce's music is timeless. This budget comp was first released in 1974 and he still gets a lot of radio play. Jim Croce was inducted into The Songwriters Hall Of Fame in 1990. Ingrid Croce opened Croce's Restaurant & Bar in San Diego in 1985 and still operates it today. Their son AJ Croce is a singer songwriter and has been recording since 1993. Here's Jim Croce performing You Don't Mess Around With Jim 1972.
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