If anyone wants to hear the Jim Croce sound before and after Maury Muehlheisen became the lead guitar player, visit my website at:
http://www.freewebs.com/palicea/
Click on the "CroceSound" page link and listen to the 2 sound clips. I am still in awe of that beautiful sound....it makes me miss the old days.
I think you need quicktime to play the sound clips.

Wonderful - have never heard that. You seldom get to hear a head-to-head comparison. Can't say which version I like better, the first stripped down picking or the richer second sound.

I'd be hard pressed to decide which I like better, as well. I'm a huge fan of stripped down picking, but the second had some really good picking as well - just more of it.

BTW, "Thursday" is in the top ten of my favorite Croce songs - love that song.