A.J. Croce Info Page Header
A.J. Croce
    (If you are paying with a gift card, you must call to purchase tickets 260.768.4725)
Apr 05, 2025 Saturday @ 7:30pm
Event Details
After 50 years and more than 50 million records sold, Jim Croce's legacy as an iconic singer/ songwriter is firmly cemented. A.J. Croce, a Billboard charting singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and performer, is once again bringing Jim's classic songs to the stage - and introducing his own new music along the way. After 10 studio albums and 30 years of touring the world establishing his own career, in the early 2000's, A.J. taught himself guitar and several of his father's (Jim's) classics. The fan response from dropping in a song or two like "Operator" in his own show was astounding and deeply emotional. He then debuted a concert that celebrated the legacy of his father's songs, stories and music; as well as his own. The show featured two generations of Croce music and many songs by other artists which connect father and son as performers. Throughout the past seven years, A.J.'s "Croce Plays Croce" tour has sold out performing arts centers across America. In 2022, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Jim's breakthrough album, You Don't Mess Around With Jim, A.J. honored the memory of his father with a fall tour featuring a seven piece ensemble and a multimedia production.

Over the past three decades, A.J. Croce has established his reputation as a piano player and vocal stylist who pulls from a host of musical traditions and anti-heroes - part New Orleans, part juke joint, part soul. From his 10 studio albums, it's clear that he holds an abiding love for all types of musical genres: Blues, Soul, Pop, Jazz, and Rock n' Roll. A virtuosic piano player, Croce toured with B.B. King and Ray Charles before reaching the age of 21, and over his career, he has performed with a wide range of musicians, from Willie Nelson to the Neville Brothers, to Bela Fleck and Ry Cooder. A.J. has also co-written songs with such formidable tunesmiths as Leon Russell, Dan Penn, Robert Earl Keen, and multi-Grammy winner Gary Nicholson. His albums have all charted on an impressive array of charts: Top 40, Blues, Americana, Jazz, College, and Radio 1. The Nashville-based singer/songwriter has landed 22 singles on a variety of Top 20 charts. His songwriting and style has evolved from Jazz & Blues on his debut and sophomore albums, to the roots-rock of the more recent collaborative recordings like Cantos with Ben Harper, Twelve Tales with Allen Toussaint, and Just Like Medicine with Vince Gill.

After many years of resisting numerous offers to perform Jim's music, A.J. began mixing a few of Jim's songs into his regular tour performances. The key to making it work was not simply covering the songs, but bringing his own style and flair to them, infusing a fresh, spontaneous excitement. In 2022, he released the single, "So Much Fun," and the national television show, CBS Sunday Morning, featured a well-told story of A.J. and his father on Father's Day.

On the first "Croce plays Croce" tour, A.J. discovered a fascinating phenomenon. "People often come in thinking the show will be a quiet, nostalgic, precious display of my father's songs - but it's not precious at all. We give them a really energetic, live show. The audience expects one thing, but by the time they leave, they realize they got something completely different -- and they leave not only with a new perspective on Jim, but as fans of mine as well."

The two Jim Croce albums that turned 50 in 2023 were Life and Times, originally released in January of 1973, delivering Billboard's Hot 100 #1 single, "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown," and I Got A Name, his final studio album with the title song being released a week after his tragic plane crash on September 20, 1973. The album also featured the smash hit ballad, "I'll Have to Say I Love You In A Song," and "Workin' At The Car Wash Blues." By December of 1973, both albums charted on Billboard at #1 and #2 on the album chart (a feat not repeated by an artist until the late 80s with Guns N' Roses). All three Jim Croce albums were released by BMG as a box set titled the aforementioned The Definitive Croce, as well as individually in a 50th Anniversary special edition vinyl, CD and Dolby Atmos format. Jim's records continue to be incorporated into pop culture with unique film and television placements in Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained," "Stranger Things," an Apple Siri commercial, "Fast and Furious"; and with "Time in a Bottle," in "X-Men: Days of Future Past."

Over the past few years, AJ's "Croce Plays Croce" and "50th Anniversary" shows, along with his "Jim Croce Birthday Bash" shows, created renewed interest in Jim Croce and garnered praise for A.J: "I think they come as a Jim Croce fan but leave as fans of mine. That's something that has also made this whole experience really amazing."
Plan Your Visit:
Parking: Free parking is available at the venue. Please have patience and be respectful when leaving our parking lots after the show.

Ticket Office: For ticket sales and assistance with ticket orders, please visit our box office or call 260-768-4725. Box Office hours are Monday thru Saturday, 10am to 7pm. All ticket sales are final and non-refundable, no exception.

Tickets: Your phone is your ticket. Make sure you have downloaded your ticket before arriving at the venue to present at ticket check. Will Call tickets can be picked up at the box office window, and you must present a photo ID. If you need your tickets printed for any reason, visit the venue box office prior to entering ticket check. Tickets that include a dining package will need to be printed prior to visiting the restaurant since they serve as your dining voucher.

Rain or Shine Events: All events are rain or shine. In the event of hazardous weather during an event, please follow the safety directions given by venue staff and displayed on digital screens.

Bag Policy: For safety and efficiency, we recommend entering without a purse or bag at our venues. If essential items are needed, we encourage guests to bring them in a small, clear purse. All non-clear purses will be searched, and this will be enforced upon entry at our Performing Arts Center. Diaper Bags for families with small children and bags with required medical items are permitted. No oversized purses, tote or duffel bags, or backpacks of any type will be allowed.

Prohibited Items: Please review the prohibited items list before you come to an event. This list can be found on our FAQ page.

Concessions: Refreshments are available for purchase within the venue. No outside food, candy, or beverages are allowed.

Bar Service: We do have beer and wine service available at most of our PAC concerts. Hours of service vary, depending on show schedule, but the bar is typically open for at least 90 minutes once doors are open.

No Smoking: Smoking and vaping are strictly prohibited inside the venue.

Safety and Security Policies: All members of your party must have a ticket to enter the venue. All individuals entering the facility are subject to screening including the checking of bags and personal belongings for prohibited items. Re-entry is not permitted without a ticket. For a complete list of prohibited items and venue policies, visit our FAQ page.

Accessibility: For complete information on our services, please visit the Accessibility section of our FAQ page.

Dining Packages: Buffet dining at our Blue Gate Restaurant can be added to any ticket price for your convenience. Price would include meal but not gratuity. To ensure guests have time to dine, we suggest arriving no later than 2 hours prior to show time, in case the restaurant is on a wait.

Hotel Reservations: If you need hotel accommodations, consider staying at our Blue Gate Garden Inn – adjacent to the Performing Arts Center! For more information and to check availability, visit https://www.bluegategardeninn.com/ or call 260.768.4725.

For more information, simply visit our FAQ page.
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