7 Fun Facts About Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is best known for his unique blend of country, rock, and Caribbean-style music, which he has dubbed “gulf and western.” He first gained popularity in the 1970s with his hit songs Come Monday and Margaritaville, which has since become a cultural phenomenon and anthem for the laid-back beach lifestyle that Buffett embodies. Over the course of his career, he has released over 30 albums and has had several other hit songs, including Cheeseburger in Paradise, Fins, and Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes. His collaboration with Alan Jackson on It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere and the Zac Brown Band on Knee Deep topped the country charts. In addition to his musical success, Buffett is also an accomplished author and businessman, having created a brand empire that includes restaurants, hotels, and clothing lines. He has been honored with numerous awards, including induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006, and a CMA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. Jimmy Buffett’s band, The Coral Reefers, has been with him since the 1970s and features a rotating cast of talented musicians who help bring his unique sound to life. His devoted fans are known as Parrotheads.
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Here are seven fun facts about Jimmy Buffett that you may not know.
1. Aside from being an amazing musician, Jimmy is also a best-selling author!
We all love Jimmy’s music, but have you read his books? Throughout his career, Jimmy Buffett has written three number-one best sellers: the short-stories collection, Tales From Margaritaville, the novel, Where is Joe Merchant?, and his biography, A Pirate Looks at Fifty. Having topped both the fiction and non-fiction bestseller lists has put Jimmy in rare company. In fact, only seven other authors have achieved this level of success, including Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, and Dr. Seuss!
2. Is Jimmy Buffett also a part-time actor?
Buffett has made several cameo appearances, including in Repo Man, Hook, Cobb, Hoot, Congo, and From the Earth to the Moon. He also made cameo appearances as himself in Rancho Deluxe (for which he also wrote the music) and in FM. He made a guest appearance in the second season of Hawaii Five-0 on CBS in 2011 and returned in April 2013, March 2015, January 2017, March 2018, May 2019, and March 2020 playing Frank Bama. Buffett also made a cameo in the 2015 film Jurassic World, where he is seen holding two margaritas while the dinosaurs are set loose in the park.
3. Buffett is an Activist
It’s pretty obvious that Jimmy Buffett likes tropical locations, and he’s doing his part to help them stay as beautiful as they are. Buffett is an environmental and animal activist who helps preserve areas and animals in Florida.
4. He is also a successful business man.
He owns a chain of restaurants known as “Margaritaville Café” and “Cheeseburger in Paradise”. Both the restaurant chains are named after his songs. Also, under the Umbrella Branding of Margaritaville, he owns a footwear shop, a Casino, foods such as Chips, Salsa, Chicken and much more. He opened a Margaritaville Casino in May 2013 in New Jersey.
5. Buffett was a journalist.
Buffett didn’t start writing lyrics, he started with journalism. After graduating college, Buffett actually worked as a journalist for a short time, getting a job at Billboard magazine before releasing his first record in 1970.
6. He Lives the Life He Sings About
His stage persona isn’t just an act. Jimmy Buffett embraces and lives the Parrothead lifestyle. The aspect of his life that exemplifies the Parrothead lifestyle is how much time he spends on his sailboat, Euphoria II. Sailing, sleeping or relaxing, Buffett’s boat can take him to whatever tropical locales he wants.
7. His iconic duet performance.
In 2003 he received the Country Music Association Award for Vocal Event of the Year in 2003 for his duet performance with Alan Jackson for the song “Its Five of O’Clock Somewhere”. It instantly became the number one hit song on the music chart.
You can see Jimmy Buffett perform on MuseyTV on Roku, FireTV, AppleTV, AndroidTV or iOS. Or here:
You can catch Jimmy Buffett on Tour in 2023 at a location near you. Buy tickets here: