Remembering Jim Croce: Performing 1973 VTN Free Concert

South Philadelphia-native Jim Croce was tragically killed in a plane crash on this date in 1973. The 30-year-old singer-songwriter was just beginning to gain attention for his illustrative lyrics and catchy melodies found on his 1972 solo LP, You Don’t Mess Around With Jim and 1973 follow-up Life And Times. In celebration of Croce’s all-too-short career, below is a live performance from 1973 featuring songs from those two standout records.

Croce played acoustic guitar with accompaniment from his regular collaborator Maury Muehleisen during a live taping of a VTN Free Concert. The set was shown on the closed-circuit network on 235 participating college campuses around the country. Croce’s performance interspersed some storytelling within the seven song set.

The You Don’t Mess Around With Jim title track and fellow album cut “New York Is Not My Home” opened the performance. The tale behind the Life And Times song “Roller Derby Queen” and a rendition of the track came next, followed by the You Don’t Mess Around hit “Operator.” The pair also offered takes on “These Dreams” from Life And Times as well as “Rapid Roy” from You Don’t Mess Around. Croce also gave an entertaining chat ahead of the set closer “Speedball Trucker.”

Watch the complete VTN Free Concert below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Do-XX2m9Tg