Jimmy Buffett, the singer/guitarist/songwriter who combined folk, rock, pop and calypso into a style that he called "drunken Caribbean rock 'n' roll", and whose fans were known as "Parrotheads", died late yesterday at age 76. Neither the cause nor the location of his death has yet been reported. According to his website, he "passed away peacefully" while he was "surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs".
James William Buffett was born on Christmas day in 1946 in Pascagoula, Mississippi to James Delaney Buffett Jr. and the former Mary Lorraine Peets. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fairhope and Mobile, Alabama. He graduated from a Catholic high school in Mobile, after playing the trombone in a school band. He enrolled at Auburn University, where he started playing guitar, but left after his freshman year due to poor grades. He transferred to Pearl River Community College and later to the University of Southern Mississippi at Hattiesburg, where he received his bachelor's degree in history. He was exposed to sailing by his grandfather, which would mean that the title of one of his albums, Son of a Son of a Sailor, was literally true about himself.
Buffett's musical career began in Nashville, Tennessee, where he recorded his 1970 debut album Down to Earth. In 1971, he joined fellow musician Jerry Jeff Walker for a busking trip to Key West, Florida, and moved there soon afterwards. He has released 31 studio albums and announced that he had recorded one more, which has not yet been released. Of his many songs, some of the best known are Margaritaville, Come Monday, Fins, Volcano, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Why Don't We Get Drunk, Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes, and the title song to the aforementioned album Son of a Son of a Sailor. His touring musicians were collectively called the Coral Reefer Band.
Besides making music, Buffett also wrote books (including three best-sellers), appeared in cameo roles on TV and in movies, launched a record label, opened restaurants and casinos, co-founded a real estate venture, put on musical plays, and launched a brand of cannabis.
Buffett was married twice. He and Margie Washichek married in 1969 and divorced in 1971. He married Jane Slagsvol in 1977, by whom he is survived, along with their daughters Savannah and Sarah and their adopted son Cameron.
Here's a small sampling from Buffett's repertoire. One of my favorites of his is Fins.
Here's a video of Cheeseburger in Paradise, which includes some appropriate still shots.
When I first heard Buffett's version of Van Morrison's Brown Eyed Girl, I thought that it fit his style perfectly.
To finish, here's Alan Jackson's duet with Jimmy Buffett, It's Five O'Clock Somewhere.
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