Exploring Jimmy Buffett's Unique Impact On Contemporary Music
by Miranda Carr
Update:
- Songs By Jimmy Buffet
- The Great Filling Station Holdup
- Margaritaville
- Trip Around the Sun
- Who Was Jimmy Buffett?
- Jimmy Buffett Career
- Jimmy Buffett's Declining Health
Thumbnail: Boston Strong Concert-May 30, 2013 (8899329406) by protestphotos1 (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Today, contemporary country artists often pay homage to legends like Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings in their music and interviews. However, their musical style is greatly influenced by Jimmy Buffett, whose coastal themes and sense of oceanic rhythm have profoundly shaped the music industry for over two decades.
In 2023, Buffett passed away at age 76, leaving a legacy that deserves an induction into the prestigious Country Music Hall of Fame. Since his death, join us as we relive the moment with some of his hit songs and record-breaking albums.
Songs By Jimmy Buffet
Over the years, Jimmy Buffett released some of the best music that has become massive hits even today. While "The Big 8" remains familiar to almost every Buffett fan, his catalog extends far beyond these songs. Here is a list of some of his standout tracks and albums:
“The Great Filling Station Holdup”
“Margaritaville”
“Trip Around the Sun”
The Great Filling Station Holdup
The opening track of the 1973 album - A WHITE SPORT COAT AND A PINK CRUSTACEAN contained “The Great Filling Station Holdup” which became a hit across Billboard's charts for over six decades. His inaugural chart appearance unfolded just over 50 years ago, as the song marked its entry into the Hot Country Songs chart in May 1973. In the song, Buffett tells a story of a gas station heist for $15, motor oil, cashews, and a TV.
Margaritaville
Amidst all of Jimmy's hit singles and albums, "Margaritaville” stands out. This song, released in 1977, propelled a business empire from a chain of resorts to a fleeting Broadway show. In the song, Jimmy finds himself alone by the beach, lamenting a failed relationship while observing tourists.
Meanwhile, Buffett wrote the lyrics to the song in just five minutes at an airport. The masterpiece soon became his most iconic single, securing him a nomination for the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2016.
Trip Around the Sun
This is one of Jimmy Buffett's best country collaborations over the years. In 1998, Buffett and Martina McBride transformed it into a heartwarming country duet for Buffett's album - LICENSE TO CHILL. The song peaked at number nine on the Hot 100 charts and won an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Who Was Jimmy Buffett?
Born in 1946, Jimmy Buffett was raised in Mississippi, Alabama. He also attended Catholic high school before attending the University of Southern Mississippi. After college, he started developing an interest in music.
Following his college years, he made his way to Nashville with aspirations of becoming a country music sensation. Meanwhile, he started by getting a job as a journalist for Billboard magazine.
After developing his musical skills with a cover band known as The Now Generation, his musical debut came in 1970 with the release of his first album. Within a short period, he gained a dedicated fanbase and achieved mainstream recognition with his sixth album, featuring the iconic track - "Margaritaville."
This 1977 hit inspired Buffett's extensive business ventures and earned a place in the National Recording Registry over four decades later. Inspired by a margarita-fueled night in Austin, Texas, Buffett penned the song on a cocktail napkin and debuted it that same day in Key West. It swiftly climbed the charts, becoming his sole Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
His album SON OF A SON OF A SAILOR, released in 1978, introduced yet another amazing track: "Cheeseburger in Paradise." Like many of his songs, the album achieved platinum status within a year. Throughout his career, Buffett released approximately 40 albums and maintained an active schedule as a tourist.
Jimmy Buffett Career
Beyond music, Buffett has managed to diversify his career with different business ventures. It all started in 1977 after he recorded one of his biggest hits - “Margaritaville.” After its release, Buffett decided to get deeper into the music industry by creating record labels.
Meanwhile, he was involved in a legal battle against a restaurant chain over the attempted trademark of a "Margaritaville” drink. Fortunately for him, he won the battle after seizing the opportunity to capitalize on his established reputation.
After teaming up with John Cohlan in the 1990s, the business began to expand with the introduction of a tequila brand and Land Shark beer. Over the years, the Margaritaville brand has developed into a global empire, diving into various business segments, including beach apparel, footwear, casinos, bars, a radio station, a cruise ship, a musical, and more.
Today, the brand is recognized in many parts of South America, amassing over $2.2 billion in gross revenue.
Jimmy Buffett's Declining Health
Buffett passed away on September 1, 2023, at 76, in his Long Island residence. The statement revealed that he had been battling Merkel Cell skin cancer for four years.
In the year leading up to his demise, the musician was admitted to the hospital on at least two occasions. This led to the postponement of three concerts and the cancellation of two others during his Life on the Flip Side Redux tour.
Despite these challenges, Buffett embarked on his Second Wind Tour in February 2023. However, he unexpectedly postponed a show in Charleston, South Carolina, just two days before its date in May.
His final surprise appearance on stage occurred in early July in Rhode Island, where he performed at a concert headlined by Mac McAnally.
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