Last updated on September 18, 2024
On the evening of September 20, 1973, Jim Croce and his accompanist Maury Muehleisen played a makeup show at Prather Coliseumo at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Less than 15 minutes after the show concluded, Croce, Muehleisen, road manager Dennis Rast, booking agent Kenneth Cortese, comedian George Stevens, and pilot Robert N. Elliott died when their Beechcraft E18S hit a pecan tree as it attempted to take off from Natchitoches Regional Airport. Remarkably, a recording of that show surfaced years later.
At that time, Jim Croce was on the brink of becoming a famous musician. His first two albums hadn’t done very well, but he kept writing songs about his experiences working regular jobs in eastern Pennsylvania. His music had an earthy quality that set him apart from other musicians. His journey to success began when he met Maury Muehleisen through his friend Joe Salviuolo. At first, Jim played backup for Maury, but over time, their roles switched, and Maury’s unique guitar style added depth to Jim’s storytelling songs. With Maury by his side, Jim Croce released three albums in just two years that included eight charting singles.
The last concert Jim ever performed was a big hit with the audience. Amazingly, two young women sitting in the third row recorded the entire show on a handheld recorder. Although the recording doesn’t meet today’s high-quality music production standards, it captures the spirit of that era when singer-songwriters like Jim Croce ruled the world of rock and roll. So, listen to this concert recording and appreciate it for what it is—a piece of musical history.
