Last month, Jim Croce would have turned 81 had he not died tragically in a 1973 plane crash. His son, AJ Croce (who I follow on Facebook) inherited his love for music from his father and is currently out touring to honor the 50th anniversary of his father’s passing.
During the tour, he is playing many of his father’s songs, as well as his own. Remind Magazine said, “The tour is big news for fans as A.J. has been uneasy about performing his father’s songs in public over the years. He revealed, “I’ve had the opportunity to do this my entire life. I turned it down for 25 years because I just didn’t feel there was integrity capitalizing on his music without making a mark of my own.” However, now he feels like it is the perfect time to blend his father’s music with his own, plus some covers of music that inspired them both.“
AJ feared that if he played his father’s songs in public, people would compare him to his father or critique him. The article quotes AJ, “I’m celebrating the legacy of my father, but it’s really the legacy of two generations of musicians. We share a love of storytelling and music. I’m not a cover band per se, though there are times when I sound a lot like my father — even though I’m 20-some years older than him at this point.”
Jim Croce died eight days before AJ turned two. He barely knew his father. I would imagine that this tour has to be a very emotional one for AJ, but it truly is an amazing way to honor his father’s legacy. To see if the tour is coming through your area, check out AJ’s website:
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 