What About Jim?
So the Hall of fame inductions have come and gone for another year. And, yes, the bands and
individuals were deserving: Aerosmith, Queen, Steely Dan, Paul Simon and Michael Jackson.
My question is - Where the hell is Jim Croce's name on this list of greats? Isn't he deserving
of such an honor? What exactly are the Hall of Fame's qualifications to get
nominated?
Well - According to rockhall.com - the official website
of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - these are the standards that have been set:
Eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first record
The influence and significance of the artist’s contributions to the development and
perpetuation of rock and roll
The nominating committee:
Is composed of rock and roll historians
Selects nominees in the Performer category
Ballots are sent to an international voting body of about 1,000 rock experts
Performers receiving the highest number of votes and more than 50 percent of the vote
are inducted
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation generally inducts five to seven performers
each year
Now that the ground rules are out of the way, let's take a look at Jim Croce and why he should
be inducted in the Hall of Fame.
Jim Croce wrote songs for and about the common man. His blend of folk and rock was slightly
ahead of his time and he made it look easy. With his matter-of-fact vocal style and song-writing
talent Jim Croce created snippets of life that live on as classics. Whether it was a love song
(Operator [That's Not the Way It Feels] or I'll Have To Say I Love You In a Song), a slice of
life rendition (Workin' At the Car Wash Blues or New York's Not My Home) or one of his many
characters (Bad Bad Leroy Brown or You Don't Mess Around With Jim) the message was clear. The man
had lived and seen life through eyes that could interpret it and present it to us in a plenitude
of ways. The rhymes weren't forced or contrived and the rhythm always seemed to fit the mood
of the song. He wasn't singing to you about love or some guy he met or an experience he had in
his life. He was talking to you like you were his best friend and confidant.
Can anyone do that today? I can think of three 'common man' singers. Bruce Springsteen, John
Mellencamp and Bob Seger; three songwriter/singers who have made a life singing about every
day life and events. I don't think any of them can compare to Jim Croce, but Springsteen would
come in a distance second.
As far as his accomplishments in the short time he was with us? Here they are - You decide if
he should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Janis, Jimi, John, CSNY and the rest.
1966 - Composed the score for Emmy-award winning documentary 'Miner's Story'
1974 - Voted Favorite Male Artist - Pop/Rock at the 1st American Music Awards
1990 - Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
4 top ten albums
You Don't Mess Around With Jim - #1
Life and Times - #7
I Got a Name - #2
Photographs & Memories - His Greatest Hits - #2
8 top forty hits
1972 - You Don't Mess Around With Jim - #8
Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels) - #17
1973 - One Less Step Of Footprints - #37
Bad, Bad Leroy Brown - #1
I Got a Name - #10
Time In a Bottle - #1
1974 - I'll Have To Say I Love You In a Song - #9
Workin' At the Car Wash Blues - #32
So does he or doesn't he deserve to be in the Hall of Fame? If you think he should be then write
a letter to the Foundation at the following address and tell them that Jim Croce deserves to be
on the next ballot and inducted into the Hall of Fame:
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation
1290 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10104
The Foundation does not have e-mail at this time.
In closing -
You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off that ol' Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Jim
- Richard Blaine
Quote of the Week
"Right now I'm just really emotional, I'm at a loss, I feel blessed.
Right now I just want to go be with my kids. I'm just grateful." -
Puff Daddy's reaction after being found not guilty on bribery
and gun possession charges
* Richard Blaine's views and opinions do not necessarily
reflect the views and opinions of the staff at Twin-Music.