When I think of Croce - another guy who comes to mind immediately is Steve Williams.
Guy just had that natural ability to take a story he’d tell and make it into a song. Sadly - he passed way too young too (cancer).
Probably the biggest country music star you never heard of - he was close friends with John Prine before either ever came close to stardom. Prine in fact co-wrote this song with him but refused any credit (didn’t want to piss off country music fans - Steve gifted Prine a Wurlitzer jukebox that Prine kept in his office for his entire life along with his beloved billiards table).
Williams also wrote “City of New Orleans” that Willie Nelson made a huge hit.