Operator - Jim Croce | The Midnight Special

Jim Croce performed on The Midnight Special June 15, 1973

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[patrickschlosser]

In my opinion this is one of the greatest and most beautiful songs ever written. Thank you Jim for the music you gave us.💙

[nannynonsense]

50 years ago today Jim and Maury passed away in a plane crash. Some of the greatest songwriters of all time just one year into their career. RIP Jim and Maury

[MickeyT]

Singing live was expected. No help. Just vocal talent. The Midnight Special is missed.

[macstark]

I don't think that I can listen to this song without getting tears in my eyes. One of the most beautiful songs ever. Thank you Jim

[Soupslusher_]

Died not even four months later. His music will keep him alive till the end of time

[dawntaylor]

The fact that we are still listening to this 50 years after his death tells you what a true talent he is. STILL one of my favorites - miss him.

[janicetrimmell]

I could listen to Jim and Maury all day. The finger picking is unbelievable.

[MCW]

Look what real talent sounds like. No trickery or auto tune. They sure are missed.

[FoardenotFord]

This is one of the most beautifully sad songs ever written, but the real heartbreak was losing Jim just a few months after this performance. To think of all the joy and solace he would have brought to millions of listeners if he’d had a full career is almost too much to bear. RIP Jim, you were certainly one of the greatest of all time.

[robertseguin]

no auto tune no cell phones no producers, just simple talent

[marcuscanyon]

My 12 year old self cried when i heard of his passing on radio .. the world lost a special man

[keepgrindingup]

"You can keep the Dime" Every word in the song is perfect.

[peacebewithu]

As a guitar player, people have no idea just how hard it is to finger pick and make the chord adjustments to this song let alone while being able to sing the song at the same time. Truly a special talent.

[francescadesmond]

"Think about the love that I thought would save me". Devastatingly beautiful poetry.

And three short months after this show aired, two of these beautiful men would die in a plane crash. Jim Croce was 30, Maury Muehleisen was 24. That was 50 years ago-Sept 20, 1973. Pure unadulterated talent. Heartbreaking just like this song. RIP to two great Thanks so much for posting.

[pammhamm]

On the day his music died, I was playing violin in a “Chic” style R&B band in Ohio. When I heard the news in the club, I gasped and said “Oh NO! It’s not fair! He just got here!” and ran outside in tears. I was 19 and I’d go home after the gigs and play Jim Croce and Cat Stevens and just chill until nearly dawn. This song still makes a tear on my face and in my heart. 💔😢 God Bless Jim, and thank you.🙏🏾🎶🎻🕊️

[bobh]

Dear Mr. Sugerman, or whoever has released these to youtube, Thank You. It is such a treat to have these songs and episodes available for viewing. Really like the Croce performances, and the clips of Fleetwood Mac from 1973 are phenomenal. Please keep all these '70s and '80s shows coming. Hope to see the Doobie Bros, Marvin Gaye, Tom Petty, REO... Oh, just keep posting them all! You had almost everyone from that era who recorded music on The Midnight Special.

[coreymiskell]

Jim and Maury not only passed at the peak of their careers, they were just getting started. What a classic song. Bless them both.

[stevenelson]

Jim would have been a megastar in the mid to late 70’s had he not died. He had talent and he had charisma. You were just drawn to the man.

And Maury was one of the absolute finest guitar players of the generation. Amazing talent.

[matthewoconnell]

I grew up listening to Jim. Such beautiful songs, both the lyrics and the fingerpicking. We moved to San Diego in 1996 and went to Croce’s a number of times. His wife ran the restaurant and there were photos of Jim all over. It was nostalgic and heartbreaking, and at the same time wonderful to think that people still respected the beautiful music he made almost a half century earlier. How many of those people are there? Not many.

[joshuapaolino]

Fifty years after their deaths tonight, Jim and Maury's music lives on. RIP.