A.J. Croce performs the Croce Plays Croce 50th Anniversary show which features a legendary band (including drummer Gary Mallaber, bassist David Barard, guitar/violin James Pennebaker) and a moving multi-media presentation accompanying Jim’s songs which include memorable hits, “Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels)”, “Time in a Bottle,” and others. It was fan-demand for more, and the camaraderie that A.J. felt with the audience, the players, and the connection to his father’s timeless music that inspired A.J. to embark on the 50th Anniversary tour for 2023. “The audience reaction has been so great,” says A.J. “The shows we did last year were not only met with a huge response, but I learned so much about what works and what resonates, we knew we had to keep going.”
The gifted multi-instrumentalist says besides the two albums Life and Times and I Got A Name, tracks from the popular You Don’t Mess Around With Jim - which fueled last year’s run - will also be part of the new show. “We’ll be playing songs representative from all three albums, and also some songs the audience might not know from more obscure artists that I realized connected me and my father. It was those songs that eventually led me to do this show in the first place.”
A.J. shares intimate aspects of his dad’s career. He also draws praise for his own style and musicianship (he’s known for one of the most unique keyboard styles in music) as well as his sensitive insight into Jim Croce’s enduring musical canon. While Jim Croce’s indelible music catalog still resonates on classic radio, streaming platforms, and in major films, TV shows, and commercials including, Apple’s Siri Ad, Tarantino’s Django Unchained, George Clooney's The Tender Bar, Netflix's Stranger Things and recently in Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, it is A.J.s unique showmanship that has further enlivened Jim’s amazing legacy through the Croce Plays Croce concerts.
