Jim Croce Time In A Bottle Official Video Video from: Dancing Wind
Jim Croce started playing the accordion at age 5, and by his 20s, was touring in multiple bands. Eventually he released five studio albums and 11 singles. "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" and "Time in a Bottle" were both No. 1 hits on the American charts. He tragically died in a tragic plane crash in Natchitoches, Louisiana on September 20, 1973, at the age of 30.
Croce met his future wife, Ingrid Jacobson, at a folk music party. They were married in 1966. Croce and his wife became disillusioned with both the music business and New York City, so they sold their guitars and moved to the Pennsylvania countryside of Lyndell, where they had their son, Adrian James, in 1971.
Croce formed a partnership with songwriter/guitarist Maury Muehleisen in the early 1970s. His breakthrough came in 1972 with his third album You Don't Mess Around with Jim. That album produced three charting singles, "Time in a Bottle", which reached No. 1 after his death. The follow-up album, Life and Times, included the song "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown", which was the only No. 1 hit he had during his lifetime.
Adrian Croce and his newly-widowed mother had to move to San Diego, 3,000 miles away with the rest of his family. Two years later, he was completely blinded from serious physical abuse at the hands of his mother's boyfriend. His mother says in her autobiography, "When our son Adrian James was almost four, he suffered a brain tumor syndrome and went blind." He did eventually regain vision in his left eye and found consolation in learning to play the piano. "I learned to play music by listening and playing along to the radio and to records. At some point I was given the music of Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder as inspiration, which it was, and has been ever since."
Video from WTNH News8
Sadly at the age of 15 the house in which he had lived for most of his life burned down.
In 2018, his wife, Marlo Gordon Croce, died of "a rare and sudden heart virus" as he was in the midst of some health problems. A.J. was left as a single father to two children, a daughter, Camille, and a son, Elijah.
At age 45, A.J. has lived 15 years beyond his father. A. J had passion of music that came naturally to him. In the years to come, A.J. produce nine albums through both major and independent labels, charting seventeen Top 20 singles across genres including Top 40, Americana, Independent, blues, and jazz. His most recent album is, Just Like Medicine (Compass Records, 2017).
Video from Redkruzer
When Martin Luther refers to our “daily bread,” he knows that God does not provide us with just what we need to survive; rather, God gives to us generously. God gives us gifts that reflect His beauty, goodness, and love. So it is with God’s gift of music. Music is not necessary to survival, not necessary to mere existence. No,
Music is a gift from God to bring joy into our lives and to express all our pains, frustrations, and joys. Music is one of the most cathartic things in our daily lives, allowing us to release anger and frustration and fears, as well as allowing us to express our love for someone else. Music can unite us as a people, as we sing our hymns together on Sunday or when protestors/celebrants join in song. Music is a gratuitous and lavish gift, meant to bring us joy and delight. It is not necessary for our survival, but it is good for our life and the lives of those around us.