Takin' A Walk: "Stories in Song – A Musical Journey with A J Croce"

Podcast: Takin' A Walk – Music History with Buzz Knight
Host: Buzz Knight
Guest: A.J. Croce
Release Date: February 12, 2026

Episode Overview

This special Valentine's week episode features singer, songwriter, and pianist A.J. Croce. As the son of celebrated songwriter Jim Croce, AJ has built his own legacy across soul, jazz, blues, and pop. The conversation explores themes of love, loss, creative resilience, and the power of music to heal. Buzz Knight and AJ dig deep into the stories behind AJ's new album "Heart of the Eternal," his collaborations with music legends, and the enduring influence of his father.

Key Topics & Insights

1. Legacy and Loss: Remembering Jim Croce

[04:37–10:15]

• A Walk With His Father:
  AJ shares how, if given the chance, he'd choose to “take a walk” with his late father, Jim Croce, to gain his perspective on life, having lost him at an early age.
  • "I would probably say that the first name that comes to mind would be my father because he died when I was very young and I think that being able to get his perspective on life would be kind of magical." — AJ Croce [04:52]
• Jim Croce’s Overnight Success:
  The reality behind his father’s so-called “overnight” fame, emphasizing the years of struggle and evolution before breakthrough.
  • "It took about, you know, a dozen years for him to be an overnight success." — AJ Croce [06:03]
• Finding His Voice:
  AJ uncovers the transformative moment for his father, when writing "Time in a Bottle" opened the floodgates for creative output and led to his first two landmark albums.

2. New Work – ‘Heart of the Eternal’

[10:15–14:20]

• The Album’s Genesis:
  AJ describes "Heart of the Eternal" as a full reflection of his artistry, shaped by carefully chosen, diverse tracks—all meant to create a sonic journey.
  • "I like to think of an album in its entirety because it helps me to have a well-rounded story… but I don't know that anyone else outside of me is ever going to listen to it that way." — AJ Croce [11:50]
• Recording Philosophy:
  Authentic, live feel is prioritized over studio tricks.
  • "There's no pitch correction or any tricks in that way. I want it to feel alive." — AJ Croce [13:32]

3. The Importance of Musical Diversity and Collaboration

[14:20–16:09]

• On Collaborating with Different Artists:
  AJ values working with musicians of wide-ranging backgrounds for greater creative depth and fresh ideas.
  • "Diversity is the spice of life… the best way to create something that's unique and uniquely representative of me is to incorporate lots of different genres…" — AJ Croce [14:49]

4. Stories from the Road & Iconic Collaborators

[16:20–28:55]

Leon Russell

• AJ reminisces about bonding over piano heroes with Leon.
  • "Leon and I started talking about piano players, and we just talked about our heroes for an hour… he was just a fellow traveler." — AJ Croce [17:22]
• On favorite Leon Russell works:
  • "'A Song for You' is beautiful… something about the self-titled Leon record and Carney in particular… I love how raw it is and how much fun the band is having." — AJ Croce [18:32]

Ray Charles

• Working with Ray was a career highlight and a full-circle moment, given Ray's influence on AJ during his own struggles with blindness.
  • "I got turned on to him when I had lost my sight… I'm not starstruck, but he was a huge influence." — AJ Croce [20:38]
• Humorous anecdotes about Ray’s off-stage personality:
  • "I asked, 'is it true you drove Sam Cooke and Floyd Dixon home?' and he lightens up: 'Man, I used to drive all the time.'" — AJ Croce [22:12]

John Oates

• "Reunion," their gospel-inspired collaboration, was born from a personal story Oates shared about his centenarian father.
  • "That was all it took. The two of us took that, and… it just kind of wrote itself." — AJ Croce [24:53]
• On Oates’s talents:
  • "There’s very few musicians that I write with who understand the possibilities as far as not just the way it feels, but also theoretically, what is going on in the music." — AJ Croce [25:32]

Margo Price

• An unexpected collaboration developed during studio sessions in LA, leading to a duet imbued with "ghostly" and forceful energy.
  • "She heard what we were doing and… said, hey, if you want someone to join in and sing on anything, let me know… It was really unique, completely unexpected." — AJ Croce [27:11]

5. The Road Ahead: Future Projects

[28:55–30:59]

• AJ reveals ongoing songwriting (including a new co-write with John Oates and Gary Nicholson), and a planned "Origin Stories" project exploring cross-cultural myths and music traditions with world musicians like Antibalas.
  • "It's such a beautiful project that when the time allows, I will… the similarities of these origin stories from each continent is so amazing and so similar that you realize how similar we all are." — AJ Croce [29:43]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fatherly Inspiration:
  "Being able to get his perspective on life would be kind of magical." — AJ Croce [04:52]
• On Jim Croce’s Creative Breakthrough:
  "When my mother was pregnant with me… he recorded everything… all of a sudden, with Time in a Bottle, it became like the floodgates opened." — AJ Croce [08:54]
• On Musical Diversity:
  "Every chord's been played, every melody's been written… The best way to create something that's unique and uniquely representative of me is to incorporate lots of different genres." — AJ Croce [14:49]
• Ray Charles Driving Story:
  "'Is it true you drove Sam Cooke and Floyd Dixon home?'… he lightens up: 'Man, I used to drive all the time.'" — AJ Croce [22:12]
• On Future Projects:
  "The similarities of these origin stories… you realize how similar we all are… it'll be really interesting." — AJ Croce [29:43]

Highlighted Timestamps

• 04:52 — Whom AJ would "take a walk" with: his father, Jim Croce
• 06:03 — The truth behind Jim Croce's “overnight” success
• 08:54 — Discovering the creative turning point in Jim Croce’s career
• 10:38 — On creating "Heart of the Eternal"
• 14:49 — The value of musical diversity and collaboration
• 17:22 — Conversations and writing with Leon Russell
• 18:32 — Favorite Leon Russell albums
• 20:38 — The magic of working with Ray Charles
• 22:12 — Ray Charles driving story
• 24:53 — Co-writing "Reunion" with John Oates
• 27:11 — Spontaneous collaboration with Margo Price
• 29:43 — The "Origin Stories" world music project plans

Tone & Style

The conversation is heartfelt, thoughtful, and candid—mixing the warmth and depth of personal storytelling with a musician’s practical insights. Buzz Knight’s questions are respectful and informed, prompting AJ Croce to share both technical and emotional layers of his journey.

Summary

This episode is a rich, engaging journey through A.J. Croce's personal history, creative process, and musical philosophy. It’s an intimate look at how legacy, heartbreak, and human connection shape an artist’s work and collaborations. AJ's stories with legends like Ray Charles, Leon Russell, and John Oates bring warmth, humor, and life lessons, while his perspective on music’s future and universal power is both illuminating and inspiring. An essential listen for anyone fascinated by musical storytelling, resilience, and the enduring ties between generations of artists.