I am thoroughly devastated and officially in mourning over the passing of my beloved Jimmy Buffett as he was my All-time Favorite Entertainer. I am constantly playing his music and have attended any and every concert of his that I possibly could throughout my life.
When I awoke around 6 AM this morning, I grabbed my phone while still lying in bed and the first thing I saw was the official posting of Jimmy’s passing. Tears instantly came to my eyes as I sat there reading in disbelief that he had passed away. The posting read: “Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs. He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.” I shot up and zoomed in on the photo just to make sure it was really him. Thoughts of “Please God, let this be some sort of crazy scam” ran through my head. I was in total shock. Early reports on the cause of his death point to Melanoma skin cancer that turned to Lymphoma.
Rewind to yesterday…I purchased a new vehicle exactly three months ago when I was T-boned in my previous “new” car and it was totaled. My new car came with a three-month subscription to Sirius Radio and I immediately tuned into the Margaritaville Radio station and that’s where it permanently stayed. For those unfamiliar with Margaritaville Radio, it predominantly plays Jimmy Buffett’s songs from throughout the years and, most recently, was playing songs from his soon-to-be released new album. When I got into my car last night Jimmy’s music wasn’t playing. I sadly realized my subscription to Sirius Radio had run out and I thought to myself – “Damn, Jimmy Buffett is dead” – referencing that I wouldn’t be listening to his music on my car ride. So you can imagine when I awoke to the news of his passing this morning, how that hit me like a ton of bricks. I honestly have not felt this mournful over someone that I wasn’t personally close to since the passing of Princess Diana.
Many of my life’s highlights have included attending Jimmy Buffett concerts with a multitude of friends in tow. The best concert I ever attended took place on January 27, 1980 when Jimmy Buffett opened for The Eagles on Florida Field in Gainesville, Fla. My UF college roommates and I partied all day long with friends and, of course, consumed many margaritas and grilled cheeseburgers prior to heading to the concert. The weather was warm, the smell of pot hung over the audience, and everyone was tropically attired. There was a spectacular sunset as the concert began and the music was phenomenal. Throughout the years, I have attended many of Jimmy’s concerts and always made it a point to show up for the pre-concert Parrothead Gatherings. The pre-concert activities were just as much fun as the concerts themselves as everyone sets up tropical vignettes including decorated tents, boats, and full bars in the parking lot. Everyone on hand eats, drinks, plays Jimmy Buffett music, and parties hours before the actual concerts are even scheduled to begin. I wrote about one such gathering in one of my previous blogs: https://maryerichard.wordpress.com/2011/04/21/you-dont-just-attend-a-jimmy-buffett-concert-you-pack-for-it/(opens in a new tab)
Throughout the years, I have eaten at Margaritaville restaurants, shopped in Margaritaville stores, visited Margaritaville bars and resorts, consumed margaritas from Margaritaville Frozen Concoction blenders, and generally enjoyed anything Jimmy Buffett created. I am wearing a Jimmy Buffett t-shirt and listening to his music as I sit and type this blog with tears springing to my eyes. I have even had friends calling and/or texting me today to commiserate with me on the passing of Jimmy as they knew how special he was to me.
One of my favorite Jimmy Buffett songs is “Fins” as I can readily envision the entire audience at each of his concerts wearing leis and dressed in tropical attire with hands clasped on top of their heads, myself included, shifting them “Fins to the left,” “Fins to the right”, and then “Left,” “Right,” “Left,” “Right…” as Jimmy speedily yelled out directions from the stage. I can still hear the stadiums full of concert goers belting out every word right along with Jimmy as colorful beach balls get batted through the air. And, most importantly, I can still see the smiles on my friends’ faces and vividly remember how I always felt sharing a Jimmy Buffett concert with them.
“A Pirate Looks at Forty,” “Pencil-thin Mustache,” “Gypsies in the Palace,” “Barefoot Children in the Bay,” “Boat Drinks,” “Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude,” “Come Monday,” “The Tiki Bar is Open,” “Miss You So Badly,”…are some of my other favorite Jimmy Buffett songs that come to mind and that list seems endless. And, of course, it’s not Christmas without playing Jimmy’s Christmas album with “Mele Kalikimaka” and hearing his special reading of “The Night Before Christmas.”
Jimmy always appeared approachable and relatable and whenever his songs are played, you magically enter into a tropical vacation world that helps you escape the rigors and pressures of everyday life. I think all of Jimmy’s fans knew if they ended up in a boat slip a few spaces over, that he’d readily invite you to come aboard and join him for drinks and to swap stories and shoot the breeze. His down-to-earth attitude, always present on stage and in the lyrics of his songs, would certainly put anyone at ease and make for an enjoyable and unforgettable evening. And, oh, the stories he could tell because he was someone that definitely lived life to the fullest. One story in particular would have surely been when he was piloting his personal plane, “Hemisphere Dancer,” carrying family and friends including U2’s Bono when the Jamaican police shot at it mistaking him for a drug smuggler. That plane is now permanently parked outside of the Margaritaville Restaurant in Orlando, Fla. with the bullet holes for proof of the story and “Jamaica Mistaica” being the song he wrote to recount that eventful and fright-filled flight.
Oddly enough, Jimmy never received many awards for his music and yet he touched people like few performers ever have. I think the awards didn’t flow his direction because he didn’t fit into one musical category. He started off writing and playing Country music. After a move to Key West, Fla., where he soaked up the island’s atmosphere and steel drum music, Jimmy ended up blending Country with tropical vibes and it’s a music genre he had unto himself for a multitude of years. I would personally give him an award for his song writing abilities as his lyrics certainly resonated with me. And yet, in the end, Jimmy, who was still growing in popularity over a multitude of generations, found himself without a room full of awards, but also sitting on a billion-dollar brand. As one of the richest musicians ever, Jimmy generated his wealth not only through ticket sales and his extensive musical catalog, but also from merchandise, RV resorts, hotels, timeshares, and restaurants and even a Broadway show at one time. In April 2023, Jimmy was listed as number 18 on Forbes List of Billionaires. It all allowed him to live the type of life that contributed to his wonderfully fun song lyrics and it was a life that many of us can only hope to dream about.
I will most definitely miss not getting to look forward to and attend another Jimmy Buffett concert with friends and seeing him on stage dressed in Hawaiian shirts, wearing flip flops or with his bare feet, and seeming to truly enjoy the audience as much as we enjoyed him. My hope is that he’s dressed in a tropical shirt, swinging in a hammock, sipping a Margarita, and eyeballing Heaven’s most beautiful beach. RIP Jimmy Buffett and thank you for all the wonderful music you created and shared and the wonderful memories you gave us all. You and your talents will be sorely missed; especially by me.
The Wonder and Wanderings of Everyday Life 