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I Got a Name: The Jim Croce Story
Jim Croce, singer-songwriter of the #1 hits Bad Bad Leroy Brown and Time in a Bottle, was at the height of his career when his life was cut short in a plane crash while on tour. Just 30 years old on September 20, 1973, Jim was revered by an adoring audience for his gentle melodies and everyman demeanor. Now, for the first time, this memoir reveals the man behind the denim...more
Hardcover, 336 pages
Published
July 3rd 2012
by Da Capo Press
(first published June 5th 2012)
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As a huge fan of Jim Croce, I was excited to see this biography written by his widow, Ingrid Croce. What I didn't realize was how much I would come to dislike him as the person he was portrayed to be by his former wife. Croce was a second generation Italian immigrant, Roman Catholic living in Philadelphia, PA. Ingrid Jacobson was a liberal Jew. The two families couldn't have been more different. The only thing they seemed to have in common was a fierce love of family and tradition. Ingrid was ve...more
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I still like to hear Croce's great songs once in awhile, so this bio caught my eye on the library's New Book shelf. Had it been written by yet another music journalist, I might have passed it by, but written by Croce's widow--I had to check it out.
I was completely absorbed by Ingrid Croce's honest tone, by her love and understanding, by the struggles the couple endured for years before Jim was an "overnight" success, by their perseverance in the face of parental disapproval, by the challenges of...more
I was completely absorbed by Ingrid Croce's honest tone, by her love and understanding, by the struggles the couple endured for years before Jim was an "overnight" success, by their perseverance in the face of parental disapproval, by the challenges of...more
This is a very interesting and sad story of the life of Jim and Ingrid Croce. There's a lot of heartbreak here, and I'm amazed at Ingrid's candid honesty of her own pains and difficulties. The dialogue is coarse at times, but honest in telling the story of their life experiences.
I think Ingrid is/was a lovely, loving, patient woman, and I hope her life after Jim died has enabled her to enjoy the fruits and blessings of who she is. As well, I find much to admire in Jim Croce. In some ways, his s...more
I think Ingrid is/was a lovely, loving, patient woman, and I hope her life after Jim died has enabled her to enjoy the fruits and blessings of who she is. As well, I find much to admire in Jim Croce. In some ways, his s...more
For two years in the early 1970s, Jim Croce gave us hit after hit, and then he was gone, leaving behind three studio albums, one of them released posthumously. Croce’s songs—“You Don’t Mess Around with Jim,” “Operator,” “Time in a Bottle,” “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” and many others found a corner niche where folk meets pop. Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor and others were in the same neighborhood, but Jim Croce was earthier and funnier (when he wanted to be), and his songs crossed demog...more
I Got A Name
The Jim Croce Story
By Ingrid Croce and Jimmy Rock
ISBN: 978-0-306-82121-9, Hardcover, Pages 320,16 black and white photographs, $25.00, Publication Date: July 3, 2012, Music/Memoir, Published by Da Capo Press, a Member of the Perseus Books Group
Fame is fleeting, but stopping at the pinnacle of one’s career, it becomes devastating. Ingrid Croce and Jimmy Rock bring the inside story of the rise and fall of a promising career in “I Got A Name, The Jim Croce Story.”
Jim Croce died on Septe...more
The Jim Croce Story
By Ingrid Croce and Jimmy Rock
ISBN: 978-0-306-82121-9, Hardcover, Pages 320,16 black and white photographs, $25.00, Publication Date: July 3, 2012, Music/Memoir, Published by Da Capo Press, a Member of the Perseus Books Group
Fame is fleeting, but stopping at the pinnacle of one’s career, it becomes devastating. Ingrid Croce and Jimmy Rock bring the inside story of the rise and fall of a promising career in “I Got A Name, The Jim Croce Story.”
Jim Croce died on Septe...more
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This is a tough one for me to review, mainly because I have such mixed feelings about it. The book's greatest strength is its honesty; fortunately for us, Ingrid doesn't seem to spare us any of the seamier details (at least, the ones she was able to find out about...lol).
There are a couple of big things wrong with this book though. The main one is the huge patches of inane synthetic dialogue that you have to wade through. Here's a sample: "You're amazing, Ing! You stand up for the things you bel...more
There are a couple of big things wrong with this book though. The main one is the huge patches of inane synthetic dialogue that you have to wade through. Here's a sample: "You're amazing, Ing! You stand up for the things you bel...more
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Written with no holding back - intimate details, ugly fights, and joyous love filled moments - Ingrid Croce relates their compelling story in this great book. As a Croce fan I loved seeing how intricate details of how the things he suffered, the gritty experiences and trials in his life gave him the inspiration and material to write the songs he did. A reminder to me that some wonderful things can actually come out of suffering and circumstances of life which appear to be so needless - so many o...more
Full disclosure: my prejudice may show through, since I chose to walk down the wedding aisle in 1975 to "Time in a Bottle." (And if we renew at our 50th, I'll choose it again.) There is a lot about Jim Croce's life that his wife Ingrid revealed. For example, although he died in the plane crash at the first flush of full success, he had very little money and felt as though the touring was ruining his life. Probably no one will pick up this book unless they already know his songs, which is a shame...more
Was a huge Jim Croce fan in the early 1970's, but I'm kind of regretting that I read this bio of him. Written by his wife Ingrid, she does a good job describing the many years it ook for him to become an "overnight success". He certainly paid his dues and even after he was selling millions of records he was not really making any money, thanks to Cashman and West. As for Jim himself........Ingrid tells the raw truth regarding him. He almost comes off sounding bi-polar the way she describes him. I...more
Whether you were a big fan of Jim Croce or not (I was), this book is well worth reading. It is a real love story, warts and all. When Jim Croce died, he was a somewhat mysterious figure. He had about 15 months of fame, and then he was gone. Being able to see his life fleshed out by his wife, Ingrid, gives us a much better idea of who Jim Croce was, what drove him, and what flaws he had. Ingrid wrote this book over the span of more than twenty years, so it is a well-polished remembrance of her li...more
Very disappointing. It is more about Ingrid than Jim. Many of the conversations have to be regarded as suspect as they are re-created almost 40 years after the events. Writing delivery and style are barely passable, often tedious, and almost at a sappy Oprah " Oh wow!" caliber. Although i will not recount them here, a number of knowledgeable Croce followers indicated that the documentation is extremely flawed with errors in chronology and content.
I liked Croce's music but this does nothing to...more
I liked Croce's music but this does nothing to...more
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Interesting story that has not been told before. Jim Croce's music was a big part of my childhood. His storytelling ability was incredible. It was music that my parents and I could all listen to and enjoy. His tragic early death was a loss to the world. Ingrid Croce tells of her love and her loss nearly 40 years ago...and yet it is still so raw that anyone who reads the words she writes hurts for her loss.
Very touching memoir written by his wife. Lots of things I didn't know about the man with enough love in his heart to write some of the most beautiful love songs ever recorded (Time in a Bottle, I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song). Didn't realize how much the recording company took advantage of him - he and his family should have had more money to work with in his lifetime! I enjoyed it and would recommend it to someone who would like to know more about him.
Thanks to my dad, I was exposed to the music of Jim Croce. As a result, I enjoyed this book, written through the eyes of his wife. I appreciated the tragedy and beauty of his life, including his marriage and experience in the music industry. Though I learned much of Croce's life, her episodic style didn't always color in the lines completely.
Enjoyed reading the story of how Jim and Ingrid met. Their trials and tribulations. To be honest, I didn't start listening to his music til after his death, and loved all of it. Such a talented musician and song writer. Backgrounds on some of the songs Jim wrote. Very interesting.
Finished this book while on vacation and listened to all of his music on my husband's Zune on the flight home. A perfect ending to a good book.
Finished this book while on vacation and listened to all of his music on my husband's Zune on the flight home. A perfect ending to a good book.
This book is fantastic. I love hearing Ingrid's side of the story and finally the kid gloves have come off. I never knew he was in such a spiral, he seemed so normal. But I'm glad this was exposed and we see the hard side of time. That "pharmacist" friend should really feel like a chump now. So heartwarming and breaking at the same time. I'm glad a biography has finally come out and it's written by the closest person to Jim. Hearing about all these demos and home recordings makes me hope that th...more
I just loved this book. I grew up with Jim Croce playing on the reel to reel, and still know most of the songs by heart. This book was a treasure. Getting inside of the short life of Jim was fantastic, but my favorite part was behing the behind the scenes of those wonderful songs and see them being written in each context! Cheers Ingrid for putting it to paper.
I enjoyed this book. I appreciated Ingrid Croce's honesty and it reminded me how much I've enjoyed Jim Croce's music. This talented man died too soon.
Good book, but I found out things about his life I'd rather not know. It changed my view of him. Still love his music though.
An excellent book on the life of Jim Croce and his wife Ingrid. A must read!
"I Got a Name: The Jim Croce Story" is a biography about Jim Croce written by his widow and her second husband. If this book had been listed as fiction, I would have rated it 5 stars because it was very entertaining and it kept my interest throughout the whole book. However, at times the portrayal of Jim Croce and most of the people he associated with seemed biased and harsh. This cast doubt in my mind about the authenticity of some parts of the story. Therefore, I am only rating the book 4 star...more
Ingrid Croce has written a deeply personal and moving memoir of her life with Jim, and his struggles to succeed in an industry that eats its young. She is a good storyteller, and she shares details openly. It is easy to idolize those who die young and tragically. The book presents a balanced view of Jim Croce, the man behind the legend. Ingrid shares her anguish at Jim’s life on the road, and is honest about his shortcomings. She also does a terrific job of showing his deep yearning for recognit...more
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Kind of a Sad story. I never realized he died broke. Must have been hard for Ingrid to write this story at times.
A must read for all Jim Croce lovers !! i love this guy.
Enjoying this book very much. Great reading about Jim's life and his music. Also meeting his wife and his struggles. It is truly amazing in such a short time how many hits he had and still enjoyed to today. His wife gives his memory alive with her jazz bar and their son an accomplished singer too. RIPJim Croce You are greatly missed
i agree with the sentiments of a previous review and feel a bit 'blahhh' myself.
Jun 18, 2013
Dameon Hansen
is currently reading it
Jun 06, 2013
Kalee
marked it as to-read
Jun 04, 2013
Justin Duke
marked it as to-read
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