Jimmy Buffett died in September after a four-year battle with cancer, but his band members are keeping his legacy alive.
Members of the Coral Reefer Band, who have played with Jimmy Buffett at various times over the past five decades, know that the man behind “ Margaritaville » wasn’t the type to give up…and neither were they. Nearly two months have passed since the musician’s death at the age of 76, and the band now contemplates its future without him, fully inspired by the vision he would have wanted them to follow.
“ The Coral Reefer Band is a second family to all of us. We are a family. Jimmy wants us to keep going and we want to keep goingthe Coral Reefer Band singer and guitarist told Billboard. Discussions are ongoing about the best way to do this, the most practical way, and how to do it in a way that is worthy of the legacy that we are a part of. »
Having played with Buffett in the studio and on tour since the seventies, the Coral Reefer Band never had to imagine what their music would sound like without him. They are not yet sure what form this will take, but Buffett had left them a farewell note asking them to “ keep partying “.
“ We’re going to find a solution and we’re going to do somethingadded Mr. McAnally. Whatever the best equation comes out of these discussions, that’s what we’ll do. I can’t wait for us to (find a solution) because we miss being on stage, playing his songs to people and feeling that alternating current going back and forth from the stage to the crowd. I don’t know who has more energy, them or us. »
Even when Buffett was being treated for his cancer, he would go on stage, for just a few moments, if it would allow him to perform for his fans and feed off their energy. Recalling a concert in New York where Buffett made a surprise appearance, McAnally said: “ We played “5 O’Clock Somewhere” and when we got to the line “What would Jimmy Buffett do?”, no one knew he was there. Nobody knew and he came out from behind the stage. There were maybe 400 people there and they all got up from their seats. It felt like someone had hit them with 220 volts. »
In 2020, Buffett spoke to WECB about his life and legacy, and how he wants to be remembered: “ I would say “he had a lot of fun and made a lot of people happy” would be good. »
