Rock and blues artist A.J. Croce played his father, legendary folk singer Jim Croce’s, biggest hits during his “Croce plays Croce” tour at the Barrymore Theatre Sept. 23. In the 30 years of the younger Croce’s music career, he never once touched one of his father’s songs live — until now.
Croce got the show going with some of his father’s classics, including “Working at the Car Wash Blues” and “Don’t Mess Around with Jim.” He eased the audience into the show with wry humor, joking at one point that “tap shoes are like prozac for your feet.” The audience clapped along when they saw the chance clap, and shouted out their favorite Jim Croce songs when he asked for requests.
Rock, folk, blues and country music mixed together to create distinct and lively sounds. Ray Charles, Hank Williams and Little Richard were big inspirations for Croce, and there were times where the influence of old blues and jazz crept through.
Croce also swapped between multiple guitars, a traditional piano and an electric piano, throughout the show. Another highlight of the show was James Penneback, who played the fiddle during songs “Complications of Heart,” “Speedball Tucker” and “Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels).”
“Hey Margarita” was a highlight of the set. The track was produced by Shooter Jenning for Croce’s newest album, “Heart of the Eternals,” mixing a rock ‘n’ roll chorus with a plucky bridge and a catchy, memorable rhythm. To any classic rock fan, this one is a must-listen.
Another memorable piece played by Croce was “Turned Around,” which combines folk and rock in a slow, raspy melody. The backing vocals hum and chime in throughout, making the song reminiscent of ‘50s-’60s blues.
A.J. Croce is an engaging performer who’s been in the business for a while — and it shows. He played a mix of his father’s songs and his own, taking requests and frequently joking with members of the audience. Between each song, he slipped in stories from his own life and his fathers life.
Jim Croce passed away on Sept. 10, 1973 at age 30 in a tragic plane crash. His time in the spotlight was brief, with his breakout album just released that prior year. A.J. Croce was only two years old at the time of his father's death.
The junior Croce ended the show with “I’ve Got a Name,” a song about finally finding success in the music industry, and “Time in a Bottle,” a song about his son. These songs had every member of the audience up on their feet and made for a beautiful finale to an otherwise rocking show.
