BROADCASTS.com

Billboard charting singer/songwriter A.J. Croce will embark on a special "Croce Plays Croce 50th Anniversary Tour" in honor of the memory of his late, legendary father, hitmaker singer-songwriter, Jim Croce ("Bad, Bad Leroy Brown," "Time In A Bottle," "Operator," "You Don't Mess Around With Jim"). Kicking off on October 27 in Springfield, Massachusetts, and continuing through December 14 in Lubbock, Texas, A.J. will perform in cities nationwide at performing arts centers and historic venues such as New York City's Town Hall and Detroit's Royal Oak Music Theatre. The tour will celebrate Jim Croce's legendary work, coinciding with the October 13 BMG release of the 3 CD or 3 LP compilation project, "THE DEFINITIVE CROCE," which includes the iconic albums "LIFE AND TIMES," "I GOT A NAME" and "YOU DON'T MESS AROUND." Tickets for the "Croce Plays Croce 50th Anniversary Tour" are available now and can be purchased at www.ajcrocemusic.com. On the "Croce Plays Croce 50th Anniversary Tour," the gifted multi-instrumentalist will be backed by legendary band members Gary Mallaber (Van Morrison/Steve Miller Band), bassist/singer David Barard (Dr. John), and guitarist/violinist James Pennebaker (Delbert McClinton); and will be accompanied by background singers Jackie Wilson and Katrice Donaldson. The show will include a moving, multi-media experience in which A.J. will perform his own songs, in addition to tracks from Jim's mega-successful albums included in THE DEFINITIVE CROCE, which is being released this year for what would have been Jim's 80th birthday before his untimely passing. Says A.J., "We'll be playing songs representative from all three albums, and also some songs the audience might not know from more obscure artists that I realized connected me and my father. It was those songs that eventually led me to do this show in the first place."