MEMORABLE MONDAYS: Jimmy Buffett

 Do you ever just wish you could run away to a deserted island? Stick your red solo cup up and seize the day? Then you probably have heard of James William Buffett. Jimmy was all about the tropical persona and escapism. After all, it is five o'clock somewhere! He is one of the world's best selling music artists, with 20 million in sales worldwide. His fanbase has been lovingly called "parrotheads" and he turned some of this escapism into other business ventures as well. You may want to know a bit deeper about who this man is. 

Jimmy Buffett was born on the worst possible day you could be born. December 25th. CHRISTMAS! Imagine being a Christmas baby. Or maybe it worked to his advantage. He was born in 1946 to Mary Lorraine and James Delaney Buffett, Jr. He also has two younger sisters, Laurie and Lucy. Despite being born in Pascagoula, Mississippi, he spent most of his childhood in Mobile and Fairhope, towns within Alabama. 

As a child, he bonded with his grandfather over sailing. These experiences heavily influenced the feeling he wanted to have for his music later. He was also raised Catholic, and served as an altar boy. He became inspired toward music after seeing a folk music ensemble performing in Biloxi, Mississippi in 1961. He did his first performance a month later. 

Buffett's music inspiratio continue as he played trombone in the school band at St. Ignatius School, and his transition to Auburn University. He learned about to play guitar from a fraternity brother as an attempt to impress girls. He ended up failing out of Auburn in 1966, unable to balance his newfound interest and college. He did not quit college entirely though. He joined a band called the Upstairs Alliance, which attempted to sound like Jefferson Airplane. After attending Pearl River Community College, he went to the University of Southern Mississippi and obtained a degree in History. He did not have to serve in the Vietnam War because a college deferment and a failed physical exam. 

After graduating in 1969, Buffett moved to New Orleans, where he was a prolific street performer and nightclub singer. The following year, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee to try his hand at a country music career. He did not have much luck, but got a job as an editorial assistant for Billboard. He did manage to get a two-album contract with Barnaby Records. His first album "Down to Earth" was a country tinged folk-rock. In 1971, he released his follow-up High Cumberland Jubilee. The output from his first two albums greatly differ from the themes of his future output - sounding like the thoughtful folk-rock of the other 70s singer-songwriters. 

In 1971, Buffett was hired on by a Nashville club as the opening act for Dianne Davidson. Buffett was unhappy with the current struggles of business and his first marriage heading toward a divorce, so he took up an offer from Jerry Jeff Welker to lodge at his home in Coconut Grove. This is where Buffett got his first taste of Key West. He liked the visit so much that he moved to Key West in 1972. He got more involved in the literary scene, meeting Thomas McGuane who went on to marry one of his sisters. He also met Jim Harrison, Tom Corcoran, and Truman Capote. Buffett was hired by David Wolkowsky to play at the bar in the Pier House Motel. He would meet his second wife there, and become a first mate on a yacht. 

Getting another chance at music, Buffet signed with ABC/Dunhill records, run by Don Gant. With Jim Croce's passing, Buffett was being promoted as a replacement act. His first album with them, "A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean", was not very beloved on original release but is considered one of his better releases in a retrospect. It still shared some of the country leans of his first two releases, but began the dive into his Key West persona that would rocket him to stardom. It does show a piece of his more introspective side. He used the money from this album to buy his first boat. The second release came in 1974 with Living and Dying in 3/4 Time. It did not chart very well. In the same year toward the end, he released A1A, which charted poorly. In revisits, many consider the album a great introduction into Jimmy Buffett and his musical styling. He released a soundtrack album for the film Rancho Deluxe in 1975, which doubled as his sixth studio album. 

By 1975, he formed the Coral Reefer Band to back him up on stage. He credited his future wife of the time for cleaning up their look. They opened up for the Eagles the same year. This led to 1976 release Havana Daydreamin'. This album is also big in Buffett trading circles, as there are some editions that have altered song orderings and two of the songs deleted from the main release. 

His next album would lead his most successful era of music. Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes was released 1977 and rose to number 12 on the Billboard charts, with Margaritaville reaching number 1 on their easy listening chart. This album got him a great deal of radio play as well. However, this was the beginning of the end of the Key West albums. He would expand his horizons to a more Carribbean atmosphere and into "world music" as he dubbed it. Ironically, despite his detailing Key West's tourism as negative, it brought an increase of tourism to the area. 

Buffett's next adventure begins in 1978, where he moved to Saint Barthelemy and got new inspiration for music. This led to his release in the same year of Son of a Son of a Sailor. This album included "Cheeseburger in Paradise", which became a namesake of one of his restaurant chains. It also appeared in the movie FM, with an actual cameo appearance. Critics deemed it music that was not particularly important, but very pleasant. 

His next release came in 1979 with Volcano. The album and title song are named for then dormant Soufriere Hills volcano on the island of Montserrat in the British West Indies. The album was actually considered a lower point in his output, especially in a decade where he had put out many hits. 1981 brought a release of Coconut Telegraph, produced by Norbert Putnam. It would become Buffett's last appearance on the Billboard hot 100 until a duet with Alan Jackson much later. Somewhere Over China was released in 1982 to not much noise at all. In 1983, he won a lawsuit against Chi-Chi's for attempting to trademark "Margaritaville" as a drink special. This same year he released One Particular Harbour. He left Putnam behind, and in turn many considered this his best work since Son of a Son of a Sailor. 

He expanded into co-writers more with his next release. 1984's Riddles in the Sand did not have a single album solely written by Buffett. It took a shift back toward a more country sound. Next release Last Mango in Paris continued this expansion. Critics found this album good for anyone enamored by Buffett live shows. Floridays, released in 1986, returned to his earlier 70s stylings and away from country again. His daughter Savannah Jane Buffett is credited for playing mini-conga. It was also his last to feature the trademark moustache, as he shaved it off for his next release. 

Hot Water which came in 1988 would be the moustache remover. It was the first album he recorded at his new studio in Key West, Florida called Shrimpboat Sound. 1989 saw the release of Off to See the Lizard. It was the first album to include much of the Coral Reefer Band that backed him up on stage. He took a small pause after this release. He took this time off to write two books, "Tales from Margaritaville" and "Where is Joe Merchant?". In 1994, he did a duet with Frank Sinatra on his final studio album Duets II. 

His next album release came the same year in 1994, with Fruitcakes. It was originally going to be titled "Quietly Making Noise". It includes a Grateful Dead cover. His next release, Barometer Soup, released in 1995 and included a cover of James Taylor's Mexico. Buffett said he liked doing covers here and there, as it was a nice homage to friends and the audience enjoys them. 

His next release Banana Wind released in 1996. It included song "Jamaica Mistaica" which the Jamaica authorities mistook his seaplane for a smuggling operation. The plane was shot but thankfully no one was hurt. The plane had several bulletholes. The Jamaican government did apologize to Buffett. This year also saw the release of his first Christmas album, which would be his last release with MCA. 

His first release with Island records would be Don't Stop the Carnival, and is based on the novel by Herman Woulk. He worked with Buffett to produce a stage play that had a short run in 1997. He attended Frank Sinatra's funeral in 1998. His next album, Beach House on the Moon, received backlash for a song titled "Math Suks". It was inspired by graffiti that he saw on a bridge in Key West. The song was condemned by the U.S. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the National Education Association. It was even picked up by comedians. 

By 1999, Buffett was transitioning to a more relaxed tour schedule. It was 20-30 dates per year and infrequent back to back nights. His next album would not come until 2002, where he released through his own label Mailboat Records. Far Side of the World was originally meant to have Buffett wearing a turban and sitting on a camel, but the events of 9/11 caused a change in the cover art. Buffett saw a re-entry into the chart world with a duet with Alan Jackson. "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" spent a then record 8 weeks on top the hot country charts on Billboard. He won a CMA for vocal event of the year, Buffett's first ever award in his career. 

His next release, License to Chill, included duets with contemporary country music artists. It was his only album to reach number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. In 2005, Buffett signed with Sirius Satellite Radio to broadcast Radio Margaritaville, which from its founding in 1998, was only online. In 2006, he released Take the Weather With You, which included songs inspired by victims of Hurricane Katrina. August 2007, Buffett receive a star on the Mohegan Sun Walk of Fame. 

Buffett's career took a quieter turn the rest of his life. He would release 5 more albums, one which unfortunately was released after his death in 2023. He kept his cancer diagnosis hidden for 4 years, choosing to keep touring and adjust schedules around treatment until he could no longer keep going. He went out peacefully and enjoying life, just as he came in.  

Buffett's legacy continues not just through music but his many ventures within the Margaritaville brand. In 1987, he branched into what would become Margaritaville made reality. The chained opened restaruants under this name and LandShark Bar & GGrill. He previously owned the Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant chain. It shut down in 2020. He had Margaritaville Records. He brewed Land Chark Leger which became an Anheuser-Busch brand. In 2013, Margaritaville expanded to casinos which included bars, retail, foods, and games themed around the brand. He even set up partnerships with retirement communities. He was all about promoting the easy life! 

If you have never taken a dive into Buffett or his very adventurous life, it is never too late. There's always a place for soft easy listening on your shelf!