Jim Croce CLASSIC HITS OF JIM CROCE

Personnel: Jim Croce (vocals, guitar); Maury Muehleisen (guitar).Audio Remasterers: Daniel Hersch; Bill Inglot.Liner Note Author: David Wild.Photographers: Paul Wilson; Tommy O'Neal; Glenn A. Baker.Since the bulk of Jim Croce's discography consists of compilations that shuffle "You Don't Mess Around with Jim," "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown," "Operator," "Time in a Bottle," and "I Got a Name" in a seemingly endless series of permutations, it's easy to be suspicious of another collection, particularly one bearing the nondescript title Classic Hits. But Classic Hits is from Rhino Records, not a budget label like Disky, and they have put together the first serious Croce hits compilation since 1992's double-disc The 50th Anniversary Collection. That collection, while comprehensive, had limited appeal since only hardcore fans need 49 Croce songs in one compilation, so this is the first noteworthy single-disc compilation since the first Croce hits album, the 1974 LP Photographs & Memories. Every