Jim Croce Wish We Could Ce Back Together Again
Singer/Songwriters and Tape Producers
Tommy West – Cashman & W, Maury's tape producer
Baronial 1999
The Muehleisens are a existent stand-upwards family. They have accepted what happened to their son and accept prevailed with their unwavering faith in a higher ability. Their dignity during those atrocious days in 1973 touched and taught all of u.s.a. that family is what really matters.
There are not enough words in real or net for me to adequately depict Maury or my feelings for him. Using music as our mutual ground, we adult a relationship based on mutual respect for each other's talent. Terry Cashman and I were constantly amazed by what Maury did as a musician, writer and singer. The discussion 'genius' has lost a lot of its luster these days, but it fits Maury. He was as responsible for Jim Croce's success as any producer, engineer, manager or record visitor. He was an integral part of THE Sound. No ane has been able to reproduce or summit what Maury did with his acoustic lead parts on Jim's recordings.
When I went to alive and piece of work in Nashville in 1977, the musicians all wanted to know who "that picker" was. Maury composed and played some of the well-nigh recognizable signature "licks" in pop music.
My fondest memory of Maury was when he and I recorded the backup harmony parts on "Thursday" during the I Got A Name album sessions in the summertime of 1973. Nosotros ever sounded nifty together, simply this 24-hour interval was cosmic – and quick. Two takes – one to get the basic background track downward and the second to "double" our parts. If you heed closely, yous can well-nigh hear usa smiling as we nailed the performance supporting Jim's tribute to Gordon Lightfoot. It was a very sweet moment.
Terry Cashman – Cashman & West, Maury'south record producer
August eighteen, 2003
The last time I saw Maury we were in a New York City cab. I had just promised him that nosotros would before long go around to doing a new album of songs. Every bit he realized, Jim'due south career was in full flight and it was in everyone's best interest to put our efforts into Jim's record, the third of his ABC Records LPs. I told him that Tommy and I believed in him and that his fourth dimension would come up. We all know that time never came.
Thankfully, we take much to remember Maury by. His amazing guitar parts on Jim's records are something that reminds me all the time of his brilliance. Every time I listen to "Operator", I get chills. He plays constantly, only his part just jumps out when there's a hole. He'southward never too busy and his part blends beautifully into the organisation.
I think when I first heard Maury playing with Jim. Information technology was on the cassette that Tommy received from the guys. We instantly knew that what nosotros were listening to was very special. "You Don't Mess Around With Jim", "Time In A Bottle", and "Operator" were on one cassette. Something had happened to Jim'southward songs. He was writing from his heart and the new songs reflected a more original and creative presentation. I believe in my heart that Maury had a major event on Jim's new approach. Maury'due south superior musicality and virtuosity seemed to seep into Jim'due south music, taking it to a new level.
The ii guitars sounded similar ane orchestra. Give thanks God we realized that all we had to practise was tape the songs simply and so that the listener could hear Jim's great voice surrounded by the perfectly conceived guitar parts. Less was more.
It'south over thirty years since the music that Maury Muehleisen had and so much to practice with creating has survived. You hear information technology and marvel at the intricacy and simplicity at the same fourth dimension. I'k sure that Maury had many other great moments to share with us, but fate cheated all of u.s.. And, although his time to smooth on his own never came, each time I hear one of his gems on one of the classics he helped to create, I know that his spirit will e'er exist with us and the gift he gave us volition always be in that location for united states to bask. Cheers, my friend.
September 2013 Gathering in Memory of Jim Croce and Maury Muehleisen
Upper Darby Performing Arts Middle, Upper Darby, PA
Phil Kurnit – Cashman & West's partner in Blendingwell Music and Interrobang Productions
Summer 2003
I have been trying to requite you a piece for your website from me on Maury, but how tin can I social club the rose? The tributes from Tommy and Terry, and their song "Maury" exit zilch implied. I haven't heard the lyrics to "Maury" in a long time. Information technology brings back the tears, the aforementioned lumps in my throat; they never change, despite 30 years. The world was deprived of the side by side mod Andres Segovia, of a warm, admirable friend and homo. The dazzler of his music reflected his heart – not simply his heed.
God bless your family – He blessed all of them, and united states of america, with Maury, for a little while.
Phil
Joe Salviuolo – Maury'south manager
Alphabetic character written to Maury's sister, Mary
May 11, 1998
Honey Mary,
Information technology'due south hard to believe that information technology'll exist 25 years this September since we lost Maury and Jim. I think about them all the fourth dimension. Even though Jim had been a shut friend long before I met Maury, I'm happy to say that Maury and I got to be shut friends very quickly, and now it'southward hard to call back of one without the other.
Maury had a very special musical gift and a very special soul. One of the about satisfying things in my life was being able to bring Jim and Maury together. I don't recall anyone really understands the magic that came out of that union. Maury's influence on Jim was and so bully that none of the music could have happened without him. Of class, Jim was already a gifted songwriter, but playing with Maury opened upwards a new side of him and it enabled him to write the kind of songs which were destined to become classics in contemporary music.
I've met musicians who yet curiosity at the audio that Maury and Jim were able to go out of just ii guitars. No one else has been able to lucifer it.
A couple of years ago, I met a guitarist from Germany who said he based his whole fashion on listening to Maury's playing on Jim's albums. In that location have been countless people who were inspired to learn to play just because of the magic they heard on those albums. It's besides bad not enough people get to hear the Gingerbreadd album and more than of Maury's songs.
At that place's no question that he would accept gone on to practice some solo albums and been a star in his own right. There but wasn't enough time. Nosotros should be happy knowing that the music we exercise have volition always be around.
It'due south great to meet that there are and so many fans around the earth – some of them are just discovering the music.
Best regards,
Joe
Mother Lode LP embrace
Kenny Loggins – of Loggins & Messina fame
While on tour with Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina in August 1973, Maury and Kenny shared some time writing a song together. Maury was very excited almost this collaboration. During our terminal family visit on Sun, September 16, 1973, Maury spoke to the states about this song, which he said they titled "Kenny's Dream".
Loggins & Messina recorded a version of this song, newly-titled "Fever Dream," which was released on their Columbia Records Mother Lode LP in October 1974.
Kenny has been kind enough to share his retention of that fourth dimension in this notation to me:
February ii, 2001
Dear Mary,
Maury was a terrific person and a very talented guitarist. I'chiliad glad you're writing his "story".
We were just getting to know each other in those days, so I don't have much to tell. My dearest memory is of the writing of "FEVER DREAM" together. Nosotros were doing our laundry in some Holiday Inn on the route, and while we waited, I showed him an idea that I'd but begun. We wrote about of the vocal together between trips to the washer and dryer.
Looking back, it was especially eerie that he and I would write a song most a graphic symbol anticipating his own decease, just weeks before Maury met his own. I truly like him. He was a genuinely dainty, gentle guy. Not pushy in whatever way. I don't know if you knew Jim or not, but when they were together, he allow Jim practise most of the talking. Jim was a very charismatic presence, even in aerodrome coffee shops. They were obviously former, close friends, and Jim was very proud of the work that they wrote together.
Adept luck with your book – I hope this helps.
All the all-time,
Kenny Loggins
Gene Arnold – Radio Personality "Giant Gene" – WCAM 1310 AM – Camden, New Jersey
In 1970, I received a telephone call from Joe Salviuolo asking if a new artist who Cashman & W had just produced could stop past for an interview at my radio prove. Maury and I striking it off instantly. His fill-in guitarist, Jim Croce, was with him. They saturday on the floor and Maury played his guitar and sang songs from his new anthology Gingerbreadd, while Jim played some chords. The alive sound was crawly. The audience loved the songs and called in to speak to Maury on the air. Some Glassboro students heard him and excitedly called in, too.
When Jim afterwards unleashed his great songs, all of us were amazed. Yes, Maury was at that place again with those fantastic guitar licks; simply this fourth dimension, he was playing atomic number 82 for Jim. They both blended into one and to this twenty-four hours, equally far as I know, they were musical "partners" in every sense of the word. Unfortunately, they had not yet committed that fact to writing by the time their lives headed to the Rock n' Scroll Hall of Fame in the sky. Anytime you lot hear Jim's songs, Maury Muehleisen'southward great, sweet guitar lives throughtout the Universe forever.
"Maury" A poem written by Factor Arnold on the twenty-four hour period of Maury's funeral – September 25, 1973
I heard the bells tolling down Trenton style
On a lamentable and lonely, very grey day
Far from the sound of a six-string guitar
Played by the hand of a young piano star
Yet close to a place we called Gingerbreadd
Announcing its leader had headed for glory
Where when sugariness sounds are wanted
He calls the name Maury.
Jimmy Webb – American songwriter, performer, composer – known for writing hits "By The Time I Get To Phoenix," "Galveston" and "Up, Up and Away"
Baronial 27, 1999
"Even though nosotros were only booked together in one case at The Main Point in Philadelphia, I remember Maury as a wonderful man and a groovy musician. He made a grand first impression on me. I wish you all the best."
Note: Maury was the opening act for Jimmy Webb at The Main Point in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, from Thursday to Saturday, December 9 through 12, 1970, just one month later his Gingerbreadd LP was released.
Henry Gross – known as a founding fellow member of Sha Na Na, and for his 1976 hit single "Shannon"
When I met Maury in Cashman & W'south offices in June 1973, I thought immediately, "What a great guy".
I was then, and am nevertheless at present, awed by his incredible talent. His Gingerbreadd album still gets airplay at my house! I especially love the duet playing with Jim on "Time In A Bottle" and "Operator". Truly globe class!
The music Maury and Jim created has not tarnished over the years. Information technology sounds ameliorate and more relevant than ever. In a world of gymnastic, over-the-pinnacle shredding, Maury shines bright as a man who used his soul rather than his muscles to create parts that became essential to making Jim's songs timeless.
Mary Mitchell – Maury'due south high school friend
Mary's Memories of Maury and "Salon and Saloon"
Maury and I shared the same homeroom at St. Mary'south Cathedral Loftier School in Trenton, New Jersey for four years. He placed first in the admissions test, so everybody was a trivial bit awed by the smartest kid in our class – including me. But since our names both began with "Chiliad," we were destined to be in pretty shut proximity, and nosotros ended up sharing a lot of classes together as well.
Maury was interested and dedicated to his music from day i. I was defended to ballet. Both of the states would finish schoolhouse, extracurricular activities, and then head to our respective music do and ballet class. In fourth dimension, both of us got the reputation for being sort of geeky. It became a bail of friendship. As I look dorsum, we were pretty geeky and serious-minded for our age.
Maury had a delicious wit and sense of sense of humor. He was repose and thoughtful, and always seemed to be looking at things differently from everybody else. He was kind, and fun, and seemed to exist the merely person at school who thought it was okay to exist serious about an art form. That made him very special to me. Let me add that he was a whole lot more gifted at his art than I ever could take hoped to be at mine.
We graduated from Cathedral and went off to different colleges. During visits dwelling, I heard that Maury had left Glassboro State Higher and was pursuing a musical career. I remember thinking, "That'southward where he belongs."
Ane summertime day in 1970, I was seeing off a friend at the Trenton Train Station. When the train pulled away, I turned around and in that location was Maury. He'd been seeing off a friend, too. I asked him if he needed a ride home. He accepted, and off we went in my Mom'southward Cutlass convertible, with the elevation down.
Instead of taking him straight to Hermitage Avenue, where he lived, we just kept on driving and driving and talking and talking – all afternoon. The time only melted away as nosotros caught each other upwards on our lives since graduation. Nosotros talked most what we were learning, what meant something to us and what didn't. We talked well-nigh his music – nigh a solo album he was recording at The Hit Factory. He told me that he had merely been introduced to another singer/songwriter named Jim Croce, not i of the studio musicians working on Maury's album, but someone who was living in Pennsylvania and performing at a club at that place. We talked about how our classmates had inverse and speculated on how they must have thought we'd changed. I was going to school in New York and worked equally a fashion model to earn spending coin. Maury looked very much the creative, long-haired artist that he was. It never occurred to me that nosotros must accept looked pretty odd together that 24-hour interval.
Naturally, my mom was furious that I had been gone for hours. She asked where I'd been, and I remember telling her that I'd seen Maury at the station, given him a ride home, and we drove around sort of "soul-to-soul" all afternoon.
I would later learn that, after he finished recording his album, Maury took Jim on every bit a fill-in guitarist for a time, and so that Maury eventually went on to perform with Croce, as Jim's lead guitarist. And then I learned that there was a aeroplane crash, and suddenly Maury was gone. I remember reading the news accounts over and over in disbelief.
Some time after, Mary Muehleisen chosen me. We sort of knew each other because she was in the Cathedral class behind me and Maury. Later on I offered my condolences, she asked me if I remembered a 24-hour interval at the Trenton Train Station when Maury and I had that chance reunion. I remembered it well considering information technology was such a special, singular time.
Mary told me that Maury wrote a vocal about that day and had planned to surprise me with it when he returned from his trip. It was on Jim Croce's "I Got a Proper noun" album.
The song was "Salon and Saloon."
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Source: https://maurymuehleisen.com/friends-stories/
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