I Got a Name: The Jim Croce Story

“I Got A Name: The Jim Croce Story” is about Jim and Ingrid Croce’s life together. While it is written as a biography of Jim Croce by Ingrid Croce (with help from her husband Jimmy Rock) the main focus and narrative of the book is on the life and times that Jim and Ingrid spent together and this encapsulates JC’s rise to fame (but not to fortune). Once he passes she quickly concludes the book recognizing that the reader’s primary interest will be in her husband. The story of their romance and life together (and apart) is foreshadowed by Croce’s interpersonal aggressiveness coupled with his lack of business acumen and his willingness to let others handle important business. She paints a picture of them in young love and staying in love, even as they stayed in tune with each other, for a long time before the constant touring and the growing celebrity and temptations of the road broke them apart. There’s a lot of sadness, a healthy dose of pain even as she recounts Jim’s lack of ability and/or willingness to deal with her being assaulted by men in Mexico. These areas are balanced against his open to many nature and his desire to please and his proficiency and prolific musical nature. But the picture that Ingrid paints is also that of an increasingly suffering wife and while she is careful to level tactful but painful criticisms at her former husband she comes off smelling like a rose. This could be true and I have no reason to doubt it other than she seems to be more introspective about him than herself. But whether true or not this picture is a biography/ autobiography of Jim AND Ingrid Croce. Even though my primary interest was in reading about Jim Croce I still would have picked up the book knowing it was about them both. How could it not be about her too?

In 1964, my husband and I met Jim at the Riddle Paddock, where he was performing on Saturday nights, singing old sailor ballads, many famous singer's songs and where he eventually progressed to writing his own, kind of tough guy songs, which Ingrid and I hated. We became very good friends over a period of 8 years, really enjoying each other's personalities, which were a good mix of German, Italian, Jewish and Wasp and a lot of personality which was constantly expressed in our lifestyles. Jim was a teacher in an all black school and could bring an audience to pieces, imitating the poor kids accents. Ingrid was an art student at Moore College of Art, very talented, my husband was a medial student at the University of Pennsylvania and I was the super supporter, working as a med technician during the day and filling in as a waitress at the the Riddle Paddock 2 or 3 times a week working until wee hours, but bringing home the bacon. I was smart and talented also and we all enjoyed many eves in our row house in Philadelphia, me cooking and Jim playing and singing.Turning the clock forward, I filed for a divorce, Jim was killed in the plane crash, I went to his funeral and mostly destroyed with grief, I went on a lone journey in my VW bug all over Mexico , driving a total of 30k miles throughout the country, sightseeing, studying art, living here and there and hearing Jim's music in the weirdest places, i.e. the dschungel in Palenque. I would just stop in my tracks, smile and listen to Jim. Yes, he made it all the way to the dschungels of Chiapas, where I ended up studying Maya Art.....Turning the clock forwardIngrid always wanted to be married to a Dr or lawyer and so she did!What I can't warm up to is the fact that Jim was just being harvested like a good crop to make that money! I find this extremely unethical and immoral to so loosely disclose all intimacies and a person's faults to the world. Maybe anger does many foolish things. It takes two to tango and no, Ingrid was no saint! Rather, both of them had a lot of character in their own right. Ingrid was a talented artist, singer and as it sounds from her books, became a published chef, devoted wife and mother and restaurateur. That is a huge accomplishment. Congrats Ing. I too have accomplished a lot, but David died, not in Vietnam, but from suicide afterwards. Christel

What a pathetic, self-aggrandizing exercise in revenge. This vanity publication reads as if she wrote it to get even with Jim for the cavalier and crappy way he treated her and their kid. Why else go on about his fondness for drugs and other women, and his shot-gunning a cat that got in his way? She put his name in the street for no good reason. Besides, she even got wrong the name of the junior high school where Jim taught. It was "Pulaski" not "Palansky." Makes a person wonder what else she got wrong ... or couldn't be arsed to check ... or made up. I'd have cheated on her too.

I was born in Oct 1972. I didn't know who sang "Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown" as a kid, but as a young adult I became intrigued by this wonder voice and lyrics from this guy with a huge smile (and moustache). Now as a 46 yr old I wanted to learn more about the man, and this book was exactly what I was looking for. This is the true Jim Croce book. As of this review in two days time Jim Croce will have been gone from this earth for 46 yrs but he will never be forgotten, Thank you Ingrid for the raw emotional tale o your great husband.

I enjoyed reading the book from Ingrid's point of view. Good for her for not sugarcoating anything about herself or anyone else. It was good to see how Jim was as a person not only as a performer. We all have flaws. I am glad she is living a great life and happily married. Also, reading about how AJ is also very talented just like her and Jim. Telling the truth is the best way to show respect for someone. Honesty is not being vindictive.This book should be made into a movie...just like the group Queen was made into a movie (Bohemian Rhapsody).

I have stashed this away for a genuine surprise present for my husband's birthday. Not only will it be a surprise that he hasn't got the usual socks that he receives on his birthday and at Christmas (hope he's not too disappointed) but he'll be amazed that I've managed to find something that HE hasn't already found! We both love the gentle and much missed Jim and I'm sure he will really enjoy this book.

Wonderfully told story about a singer who's early death denied the world an immense talent.

brilliant insight into JC

Very nice book!!

A well written story of love and loss. Includes painful periods of separation with funny anecdotes and personal tragedies. This biography brings back the brief life and timeless music of an iconic artist and musician.