Jimmy Buffett was Joy, and he shared that joy with everyone.
He was an icon, a symbol of sunshine and sandy beaches, pirates and pilots, tiki bars and salty air,
and with his songs, he made you feel like you were there with him.
Jimmy Buffett was always smiling, and his smile was infectious. I would light up a room… or a stadium!
He was kind enough to share his soul with us, and what a kind soul it was.
Jimmy wasn’t just a legend, he was a lifestyle. He lived the dream, and he took us with him.
His music provided an escape for his millions of fans, transporting you to an island with a drink in your hand and sand between your toes, no matter where you were.
While most performers would go on tour from time to time, Jimmy Buffett toured every year for 50 years!! And was seen by up to a million people each year. People… Parrotheads! That’s what the fans called themselves. Dressed in their ceremonial garb of grass skirts and coconut shell bras … and that’s just the men…. And Hawaiian shirts, with leis, or bathing suits, and all sorts of headgear … Shark fins, pirates hats, parrot and flamingo hats, etc. And they would party…. And that party began before the show with tailgating… with mini-bars, swimming pools, water slides, pirate ships, volcanoes, even sand! Tailgating sometimes began at 5 AM, with as many as 86,000 people, even with a venue that could accommodate only a quarter of that number. It eventually became a family event, thus ensuring that generations continued to attend Jimmy Buffett concerts. And after 50 years, they were still going strong.
Jimmy Buffett’s wild life in Key West and New Orleans, gave him the material to write his poetic songs. Those songs told stories of sailors and smugglers and lovers and beautiful islands. His music couldn’t be categorized. He was a category of his own.
After a time, he turned his popularity into a multi-billion dollar empire. Margaritaville was restaurants, merchandise, resorts, even retirement homes and cruiselines. You can find Margaritaville all around the world… even in Dubai.
His business savvy came from a work ethic and a curious mind. In addition to his university degrees in journalism and history, he was always learning about everything new. And no, he wasn’t related to Warren Buffett. They even took a DNA test to find out.
This amazing man was not only a brilliant songwriter, he inspired us to live life to the fullest. Besides being a prolific Singer-Songwriter and best-selling Author, he was a Sailor, an Aviator, a Surfer, a Fisherman, an Actor, even a Playwright, as well as an Athlete, playing just about every sport you could think of, including baseball, skiing, cycling, scuba diving, horseback riding, golf, and even rock climbing and basketball. But mostly he loved performing, whether it was in front of audiences of 60,000 or in small clubs with just a handful of people.
And he loved to travel. He has been all over the world. Not only places where he performed, the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, Europe (Paris, etc.), Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Sisngapore, Bora Bora, etc. but he enjoyed visiting Egypt, Africa (Zanzibar, Mali, etc.), Argentina (Pategonia, Tierra del Fuego), Southeast Asia (Vietnam), Costa Rica, Brazil, the Amazon, Easter Island, etc.
But he felt most at home on the ocean. He grew up on the Gulf Coast, and lived on islands, including St. Bartholomey. And he spoke French (and Spanish), penning some of his songs with French lyrics, or references to Paris. He also wrote about pirates and the many characters he met throughout his life. Even the little children who brought him croissants and coffee when his boat first arrived in St. Barts.
With all of his riches, Jimmy also gave back. He always donated part of the proceeds from his concerts to the cities where he played, and when disasters like hurricanes and floods would strike, he would be right there putting on concerts to raise money for those in need. He was also concerned about environmental issues, helping to save the manatee, driving vehicles which use vegetable oil for fuel, etc.
On top of this all… he was a nice guy. Always happy, always smiling, right to the end. With his family, and dogs by his side, he smiled and said “It was a hell of a ride.”
The tributes just kept on coming because every one loved Jimmy Buffett. From all walks of life people loved him because he loved them. He always made sure they were having fun, and living life to the fullest. And no one lived a fuller life than Jimmy. There will never be another like him.
“He’s somewhere on the ocean now. A place he ought to be. With one hand on the starboard rail.He’s wavin’ back at me.”
This is why we miss Jimmy Buffett :
Diane's Stories 2 
