Success Escaped Croce Until Death

NATCHITOCHES Ð The Jim Croce legend lives on.

A year and two days ago, on the night of September 20, 1973, a fiery plane crash in Natchitoches killed Croce and five of his entourage. It has only been since his death that Croce has achieved the level of success which somehow escaped him during his lifetime.

That Croce was a talented man has never been disputed by critics. His talent consisted of singing, songwriting and instrument playing. He will be remembered not only for his songs and style but also as being a man who put the term "junkyard dog" in the English vocabulary.

Croce's death has been compared to the February 3, 1959 plane crash in which Don McLean made so much of in his "American Pie" as the beginning of the end. That Iowa crash claimed the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "Big Bopper" Richardson.

The comparison should never be made. Holly, Valens and Richardson had already made stardom. Croce was still seeking his.

The September 20 concert at Northwestern State University, Croce's last, was a vivid account of his life. He told the audience of his life as a truck-driver, construction worker, tractor operator and his many nights in playing in dimly-lit dives and staying in cheap motels.

His final performance was brilliant. His songs were good, his guitar playing was great and his story telling was fascinating. His voice had a quality that was much better live than on records. Despite his performance, Croce was not called to do an encore.

The audience gave polite applause and proceeded to leave the building. There was no standing ovation, hysterical applause or calls for Croce to come back on stage for a few more minutes.

Croce's closing comment was, "See you later."

His schedule showed that he was to spend the night in Natchitoches and fly to Dallas the next day. There was a last minute change of plans and Croce left immediately after the show.

Since the fatal crash, three lawsuits have been filed on behalf of Croce and the other persons who died in the accident, the last being just last week in which $8 million was asked by Ingrid, Croce's widow, and heirs of four of the other five victims. Named as the defendants were the City of Natchitoches, (names deleted), the latter two being the owners of trees which the Croce plane apparently hit.

Croce has been labeled as "one of the nation's most popular and respected singers and songwriters." He has been described as a rough-hewn, mustachioed, cigar-smoking, weather-beaten vision of a man and his songs and style reflected a wisdom far beyond his years.

His song, "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown," had climbed to the number one slot. His much-acclaimed album, "You Don't Mess Around With Jim," has been gradually climbing on the musical charts.

Since his death, Croce's popularity has mushroomed. People are buying his records who, a year ago, would not have heard them.

His musical legacy includes three albums on ABC Records, You Don't Around With Jim, Life and Times, and I Got A Name. An earlier album, Approaching, released on Capitol Records is no longer available but, considering the increase in Croce's popularity it seems likely that this recording might be reissued.

(Writer: Danny Anderson, Times Natchitoches Bureau)
 
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