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3 Folk Singer-Songwriters From the 70s You Can Probably Recognize (Even if You Can’t Name Them)
This piece highlights three folk singer-songwriters from the 1970s whose songs are far better known than their names, noting that hits can sometimes overshadow the artists who created them. The article profiles Cat Stevens (now known as Yusuf), Jim Croce and Don McLean, tracing how each built a lasting musical legacy despite varying levels of personal name recognition today.
Cat Stevens, known for "Wild World" and "Father And Son", has sold over 100 million records and amassed more than two billion streams, later adopting the name Yusuf after converting to Islam in the late 1970s. Jim Croce, remembered for "Time In A Bottle" and "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown", saw his career surge after his death in a 1973 plane crash, with his album I Got A Name reaching No. 1 on the Billboard chart. Don McLean, whose 1971 song "American Pie" became a cultural staple, has described the track as biographical, rooted in his memories of Buddy Holly's death and his evolving view of America.
In short
- Three 70s folk artists whose songs outlived their name recognition
- Cat Stevens (Yusuf) sold 100m+ records, 2bn+ streams
- Croce's fame grew after his 1973 death; McLean's "American Pie" endures
Explained simply
Folk singer-songwriters of the 1970s often wrote and performed their own songs, blending folk influences with accessible melodies and storytelling. Some songs from the era have stayed familiar through radio, films and later recordings, even when listeners may not know who wrote or first sang them.
Cat Stevens, later known as Yusuf, became known for songs including “Wild World” and “Father and Son”. Jim Croce wrote and sang “Time in a Bottle” and “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown”; his career grew rapidly before and after his death in a plane crash in 1973. Don McLean is best known for “American Pie”, a song drawing on his memories of musician Buddy Holly’s death and his reflections on America.
Their work shows how a song can remain part of popular culture beyond the moment it was released. Knowing the artists’ stories helps place those enduring songs in the lives and times of the people who made them.