As a teenager, A.J. Croce landed his very first regular gig as a pianist at a club run by his mother Ingrid - herself a singer/songwriter. Due to the fact that the venue didn't have a license for amplification, AJ learned how to project over the piano - not the greatest choice for vocal longevity, but instrumental in helping craft his unique singing voice.
In an effort to develop his own unique style, colored as it with with shades of pop, blues, soul, r&b, and classic rock, he purposefully avoided the music of his father - legendary folk singer Jim Croce. It wasn't until many years later that he dug in and embraced not only his father's classic tunes, but all of the influential songs his father had collected over the years. As it turned out, they were songs (and artists) that had also heavily influenced A.J.
On his new album By Request, Croce picked a dozen cover tunes that have often been requested by friends and family. He thinks of the album as a collection of tunes he'd play for friends when they stopped by his house.