‘Croce Plays Croce’
A.J. Croce honors memory of his legendary father by playing his songs
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 50 years since the untimely passing of singer-songwriter Jim Croce. The legendary artist was at the peak of his success, with hits that included “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” “Operator (That’s Not The Way It Feels),” “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim,” “I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song,” and “Time in a Bottle,” when the plane in which he was traveling crashed shortly after takeoff in September 1973. Croce had spent much of that time living with his wife and young son A.J. in a suburb outside of Philadelphia before moving to the West Coast just prior to that fateful night.
Jim’s son, A.J. Croce, an acclaimed artist in his own right, is honoring the music and memory of his father with a new tour, “Croce Plays Croce 50th Anniversary.” It will make two stops in the area: first at the Santander Performing Arts Center in Reading
on Wednesday, Nov. 1, the other at the Keswick Theater in Glenside on Sunday, Nov. 5.
Croce’s show will feature many of his father’s biggest and most beloved songs performed by a full band while a large screen showcases a montage of video memories. Croce also will connect with his father’s legacy by telling stories behind the songs and sprinkling in selections from his own catalog of original music as well as taking requests from the audience in real time. To coincide with the tour a new box set, “The Definitive Jim Croce,” was recently released that features all three studio albums Jim Croce made for ABC records: You Don’t Mess Around With Jim, Life and Times, and I Got A Name.
I recently spoke with A.J. Croce about the tour and more in an exclusive interview.
Q: It’s been 50 years since the untimely passing of your father, Jim Croce.
When you think about this anniversary, what thoughts come to mind? A.J. Croce:
It’s kind of amazing because in a way, he never left. It’s hard to go into a grocery store or a mall and not hear one of his songs. Plus, I have worked his catalog from behind the scenes for 28 years so it’s very much a part of my daily life. Making sure people hear his music has been a gig that I really have enjoyed. As a person, I was able to get to know him not only through his music and friends and my family but also from the hundreds of tapes he left where I could hear him talking to friends about new songs and conversations about politics, history, psychology and philosophy. His presence has always been there.
Q: What do you think continues to make his music so timeless and special? A:
It’s honest and organic. There’s no part of it that’s manufactured. The stories are so great and universal that we all can still identify with them. It’s real music and is timeless because of that.
Q: What can fans expect from your Croce Plays Croce performance? A:
It’s a really fun and unique show. There are no click tracks or playing to any pre-recorded music. What you’ll hear is a great band playing live. We’ve got screens behind us where you’ll be able to see a great video collage of my family history. Every night is different because I