Beyond The Beyond : Leroy Brown -Joe Salviuolo- Bill Reid- JimCroce-Maury Muehleisen

Joe & Bill –

Will The Circle Be Unbroken?

March 1980 at The Meeting House

Joe met Jim when they both students at Villanova University. They were both quite active in the Villanova University music serendipity.  I believe Jim met Ingrid at this time.  Joe & Jim met Terry Cashman,  Tommie West, and Gene Pistilli at this time.  Jim eventually recorded one of Gene’s songs, Rosie, a song about New York City, 42nd street (see also within : Moby: Wait For Me -43rd Street),  hookers etc…”Rosie had religion, she got it on the farm, now she’s in New York City, shoots it in the arm…” So far, this remains unreleased.

Cashman, West & Pistilli  became recording artists in New York City ( “Sunday Will Never Be The Same”, etc…starting these friends’ covering of the days of the week  in song, per Terry Shore Fisher. Terrie was Joe, Maury & Jim’s musical companion & songwriter of great merit. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kne96DsM7Ds ). Joe went on to Pennsylvania University where he received, per Joe,  the only double Master degrees that that University had thus far given in  Communications & Folklore. While at Penn, Joe met Henri Glassi who was later to chair Penn’s Folklore Department, etc. Joe then started teaching at Glassboro University, where he met and mentored Maury  Muehleisen.  They did a student teacher concert while each was there. Maggie & Ron Gletherow made CDs of that concert for Joe and were kind enough to give me one. Joe introduced Maury to Cashman,West & Pistelli, now associated with Capitol Records . Maury got a record ( then 33 1/3 RPM vinyl) deal with Capitol. Joe got Henri Glassi to illustrate the album, “Gingerbreadd”, write the linials…

“Gingerbreadd” remains artistically and musically one of the more beautiful albums ever. The studio musicians on it are now legends in their own right.

The vinyl is a collector’s item, but is available in CD format. Maury met Jim via Joe at Cashman & West at Capitol in New York City. Joe helped produce Jim’s first album Facets, funded by Jim’s Dad.

Ingrid & Jim became one of the finest singer songwriting teams ever.

Ingrid had great input into all of Jim’s songs. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVWSHj9z88c and or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdCo82YLr9w&feature=related . They produced Jim’s second album, “Croce”, since re-released as Jim & Ingrid Croce.  See the Croce site, http://www.jimcroce.com/discography.shtml .

Maury & Jim started playing together, and toured together in support of Maury’s : “Gingerbredd”.

Jim’s first big album came out…history

Leroy Brown – Jim Croce – Maury Muelheisen –

Bill Reid: Long Gone Lonesome Blues

Joseph Salviuolo, Bill Reid : Eric Anderson’s Thirsty Boots

Bill Reid – Salty Dog

Sorry bout the premature ending. Will fix promptly.

Bill was a close lifetime friend of Jim Croce’s. They met when Jim was fresh out of high school. Both graduated from Upper Darby High, Bill 4 years earlier than Jim.

Jim had a summer job in the maintenance department of a hospital in Delaware County PA. Bill was a foreman of a construction crew laying sewer lines for the hospital. As such Bill operated the larger Caterpillar Bulldozers, end loaders etc.
Bill was an amazing banjo & guitar player & would bring his banjo into the hospital lunchroom to attract “the pretty young things.”
Jim looked up to Bill and with each of their musical talents, humor and love for the good life, they quickly became lifetime close friends and musical companions.

Bill had the diamond ring on his pinkie, that I believe was the inspiration for Jim’s line in Leroy Brown. If you knew Bill back in his Harleys, Triumphs, dynamiting, Pagen Gang Leader Friends, womanizing days, you would understand why all the ladies called him “tree top lover”  & all the men just called him “sir”. (less info)

P. S.      A.J.

There is nothing to say about A.J. better than “listen” :

http://www.crocesstore.com/store/cart.php?target=category&category_id=253

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6jsdhG3qv4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ4lu1gKVVI&feature=related