A.J. Croce

A.J. Croce Who Is Adrian James Croce and Why Should you Put Him In My Ears? Seedling Records recording artist A.J. Croce knows how you feel. He doesn’t want you to fill up on empty carbs or predictable music. A.J.--considered “one of our greatest young songwriters” by David Wild of Rolling Stone--wants your ears satisfied, like they just ate the best pancakes ears ever ate, and with his tasty singing, songwriting, and musicianship, A.J. delivers. Each of A.J’s five CDs has hit the radio charts in a different genre. His debut, A.J. Croce entered the top ten U.S. jazz chart in 1993; the follow up “That’s Me in The Bar” landed again in the top ten in 1995, but this time in the Americana and Blues chart; Subsequently, 1998’s Fit to Serve placed again on the blues chart, but also on the AAA chart, and 2000’s Transit garnered a spot again on AAA and also the American college radio chart. His current single “Don’t Let Me Down,” from his new CD Adrian James Croce is the only song by an artist on an independent label to hit the US top 40 charts in 2005. Such diverse acceptance cannot be aimed for: AJ makes music he loves, grounded in his wide range of influences, and lets the chips hit the fan, confident, as he says, that “an eclectic taste in music, “ is “the foundation of versatility.” This eclecticism has gained A.J. a reputation as a one man music festival, who’ll pull an old barrelhouse boogie woogie stride piano jam out of one sleeve, a psychedelic pop gem or New Orleans funk groove out of the other. In childhood, A.J. lost his father to a tragic plane crash and his eyesight to a brain tumor. From the ages of four to ten, he gradually regained sight in his left eye, learned to play the piano, fell in love with the music of Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder, and came into possession of his multi-platinum recording artist father’s weathered songbook and guitar. Raised by his mom Ingrid near the Pacific Ocean in San Diego, California, A.J. began writing songs and performing locally—first for $20 at a Bat Mitzvah and later as a sideman and bandleader—eventually launching his recording and touring career, modeled after the epic tale of Gilgamesh. Having survived his challenging childhood, A.J. was able to overcome another unexpected obstacle as an adult: he blew out his powerful voice during the recording of Fit To Serve, had to learn to sing all over again for Transit, and is now in better voice than ever. On...