On October 24th, 2025, the legendary Town Hall in New York City became the setting for an evening where legacy, emotion, and artistry converged.
A.J. Croce’s performance of Croce Plays Croce was more than a tribute to his father, the late Jim Croce — it was a dialogue across generations.
Between each song, A.J. shared anecdotes, memories, and reflections that tied directly to his latest album, Heart of the Eternal, creating an experience that was as heartfelt as it was musically transcendent.
A Life Shaped by Music
In a Zoom interview days before the show, A.J. Croce reflected on his childhood — losing his father at two years old and his sight soon after. He described finding identity and comfort in music, guided by the voices of Fats Waller, Ray Charles, and Stevie Wonder.
“Music became my solace — it was my refuge and my identity.”
Even at a young age, Croce’s connection to sound was deep and instinctive. “Ray Charles could play anything,” he said. “That’s what I wanted — to be that kind of musician.”
Forging His Own Path
Croce explained why he avoided performing his father’s songs for more than three decades. “I didn’t play his music for 30 years,” he said. “I needed to build my own path first. But I always worked behind the scenes to make sure his legacy was protected.”
He began performing professionally at 12 and toured with blues icon B.B. King at 18. “They didn’t need me for my name,” Croce said. “They brought me out because they liked what I did.”
The discipline of those years shaped the artist he became — one driven by skill, humility, and respect for the craft.
Heart of the Eternal
Croce’s newest release, Heart of the Eternal, recorded with producer Shooter Jennings at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, captures a mix of piano rock, soul, and psychedelic textures. It’s an album that feels like an artist at peace with his past while pushing boldly into the future.
“The record balances joy and grief — you can’t fake that. It’s the human experience.”
The project explores mortality, love, and renewal — themes that thread through Croce’s entire life story. Songs like “Reunion” (co-written with John Oates) and “The Finest Line” (a duet with Margo Price) reveal a songwriter unafraid to confront life’s biggest questions.
Croce Plays Croce at Town Hall
Opening with “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim” and “Roller Derby Queen,” Croce mixed his father’s classics with songs from Heart of the Eternal such as “Judgement Day” and “The Heart That Makes Me Whole.”
Each song came with a story — witty, touching, or deeply personal — showing his ability to connect with the audience beyond the music itself.
During “Photographs and Memories,” a touching montage of family images filled the screen — moments of father and son frozen in time. It was the emotional centerpiece of the night, bridging decades through song and story.
“When I perform my dad’s songs my own way, that’s when I feel closest to him.”
Legacy and Connection
The audience’s emotion was palpable, especially during “Time in a Bottle” and “I Got a Name.” Three generations sang softly together, proof that Jim Croce’s timeless songwriting continues to resonate — and that A.J. has carried that flame forward in his own way.
Croce reflected on what he hopes remains when the music fades:
“If I die tomorrow, those 11 albums are what’s left. But I hope people remember that for 90 minutes, they forgot the world outside — and just felt joy.”
The night ended not with sorrow, but with celebration — a fusion of two musical spirits united through melody, storytelling, and soul.
A.J. Croce didn’t just perform his father’s songs; he redefined them, honoring the past while asserting his own place in music history.
Setlist: You Don’t Mess Around With Jim · Roller Derby Queen · Better Day · Box #10 · Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels) · Nothing Can Change This Love · Nothing From Nothing · Rollin’ On · The Heart That Makes Me Whole · Judgement Day · Piano Medley · Workin’ at the Car Wash Blues · Photographs and Memories · Speedball Tucker · Alabama Rain · New York’s Not My Home · I’ll Have to Say I Love You in a Song · Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy) · So Much Fun · Callin’ Home · The Time Is Up · Bad, Bad Leroy Brown · I Got a Name · Time in a Bottle
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