A.J. Croce, acclaimed artist, singer/songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, has officially announced the highly anticipated return of Croce Plays Croce, his beloved live celebration honoring the timeless music of his father, legendary singer/songwriter Jim Croce.
The upcoming Croce Plays Croce tour will feature an expanded setlist that includes more of Jim Croce’s iconic catalog, as well as his classic hits including “Time in a Bottle,” “Operator,” “I Got a Name” alongside A.J.’s own critically acclaimed work from his album, Heart of the Eternal. The new Croce Plays Croce tour will begin this fall in September with dates including Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium as well as newly announced shows including New York’s Town Hall, with dates through 2026. See details below.
The tour announcement coincides with the release of the official music video for his new song “Turned Around.”
As described by GLIDE, “The video features A.J. and his band performing the tune in a studio, giving us a look at some of the magic we can expect onstage during his upcoming tour.”
On the forthcoming tour, A.J stated, “This tour is more than a tribute to my father and more than a showcase of my own music— it’s the meeting of my roots and a declaration of my individual artistry. This is a journey through soul and sound.”
On the album track, “Turned Around”, A.J stated, “Writing the lyrics to Turned Around began as a songwriting exercise. I was attempting to make sense out of nonsense. Each verse strings together a story via connecting oxymorons. When there wasn’t an existing oxymoron, then I made one up the way Ogden Nash or Roger Miller made up rhymes when none existed.”
Croce’s newly released album, Heart of the Eternal, produced by Shooter Jennings (Brandi Carlile, Tanya Tucker), is a genre-defying masterclass in piano-driven rock, psychedelic soul, and classic songwriting. Recorded at Los Angeles’ famed Sunset Sound, the album features collaborations with Margo Price and John Oates and has already made waves, debuting in the Top 20 on the Billboard Americana/Folk Albums chart and the Top 40 on the Billboard Current Rock Albums. The album has been praised by outlets such as American Songwriter and Forbes, the latter stating: “What makes the album truly special is its multifaceted examination of the human experience.”
Heart of the Eternal showcases A.J.’s masterful musicianship and genre fluidity — from fuzzed-out rock riffs and Latin-infused jazz-pop to emotionally raw songwriting. Standouts include “Reunion,” co-written with John Oates, and “The Finest Line,” a countrypolitan duet with Margo Price that contemplates the soul’s fate beyond mortality. The album also features legendary studio musicians who have recorded with icons like Van Morrison and Dr. John.
Following the loss of his father at two years old A.J continued to face many challenges in his life and the piano became a lifeline for Croce, who suffered a total loss of eyesight from ages four to ten and turned to blind pianists like Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder for much-needed comfort and inspiration. He became a piano virtuoso and started playing with the likes of B.B. King at just 18 years and over the years has collaborated and performed with legends and luminaries across a wide expanse of genres from Willie Nelson to Ray Charles, Leon Russell, Allen Toussaint, Neville Brothers, Bela Fleck and Ry Cooder, to name a few. All while, A.J has built an acclaimed catalog that blurs the boundaries between blues, soul, rock & roll, roots music, working with of most esteemed producers in music history—including Jack Clement (Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley), Tony Berg (Fiona Apple, Bob Dylan), and Greg Cohen (Tom Waits, John Zorn).
“Music has given me everything: it’s taught me patience and compassion and empathy; it was my refuge and my religion when I lost my sight as a kid,” he says. “When I look back at the music that’s inspired me the most, it’s the music that has real depth and soul to it, whether that’s Little Richard or Otis Redding and Hank Williams or Fiona Apple. Anything that makes me feel is meaningful to me, and I hope that everyone can find that same connection with all of these songs.”
Heart Of The Eternal Tour
Jun 29 Sun – MIM – Musical Instrument Museum – Phoenix, AZ
Jun 30 Mon – MIM – Musical Instrument Museum – Phoenix, AZ
Jul 1 Tue – MIM – Musical Instrument Museum – Phoenix, AZ
CROCE PLAYS CROCE FALL TOUR DATES
9/17 – Grand Junction, CO – Avalon Theatre~
9/18 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater
9/19 – Colorado Springs, CO – Pikes Peak Center
9/21 – Omaha, NE – Holland Performing Arts Center
9/25 – Iowa City, IA – Englert Theatre
9/26 – Jefferson City, MO – MU Health Care Capital Region Amphitheater
9/28 – Bloomington, IL – Bloomington Center for Performing Arts
9/29 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater
10/1 – St. Louis, MO – The Factory
10/2 – Des Moines, IA – Hoyt Sherman Place Theatre*
10/3 – Minneapolis, MN – Pantages Theatre*
10/5 – Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater*
10/6 – Ottumwa, IA – BVC Theater
10/8 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
10/9 – Skokie, IL – North Shore Center for the Performing Arts
10/10 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live!
10/12 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium*
10/13 – Cincinnati, OH – Taft Theatre
10/15 – Louisville, KY – Brown Theater
10/17 – Atlanta, GA – Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
10/18 – Chattanooga, TN – Walker Theatre
10/19 – Macon, GA – Macon City Auditorium
10/21 – Richmond, VA – The National
10/22 – Annapolis, MD – Rams Head On Stage
10/24 – New York, NY – The Town Hall*
10/25 – Poughkeepsie, NY – Bardavon*
10/26 – Shippensburg, PA – Luhrs Performing Arts Center
11/19 – Boston, MA – The Wilbur
11/20 – Cranston, RI – The Park Theatre
11/21 – Springfield, MA – MGM Springfield
11/22 – Atlantic City, NJ – Circus Maximus Theater at Caesars
~ due to venue change, new tickets for the Avalon will be available and previously purchased tickets for Asteria will be refunded
* already announced/on sale
