Almanac Music: Jimmy Buffett – a reflection

 

Long time Footy Almanac friend and commentator Daryl Schramm remembers his introduction to the music of Jimmy Buffett who passed away recently.

 

 

 

 

I am trying to put my finger on why I feel the way I do about the news of Jimmy Buffett’s passing.  It was late Saturday night and I was with my dad when I saw the news on my phone.  Shocked at first, not being aware of anything untoward, turned into a selfish “well, that’s one bucket list item that’s not going to happen”.

 

The following days were spent looking for any news, and reading as many comments as time allowed.  What an outpouring of grief, and, to date, not even a suggestion of a negative or sordid word about him.  I knew he was huge in the states, and had fandom in quantity and quality that is hard to comprehend.  I have loved his work for some time now, but nowhere near as long as others.

 

In 2008, son #2 got himself a working experience on a private golf course in the USA.  He had completed his turf care training in Adelaide and was working in the industry before applying for a program linked with Ohio State University, where they bring candidates from around the globe and place them with superintendents in the states.  So, at the age of 20, he ended up at Double Eagle Golf Course, a privately owned club just north of Columbus OH.  My first overseas travel experience was in October/November of that year, to visit him to help celebrate his 21st birthday (a rite of passage in the states), and to move him from Ohio to St Simons Island on the Georgia coast for the winter to continue his program.  Thanks to Jonno, my partner and I have had overseas travel experiences (I don’t call them holidays) almost every year since, an itch, which for me, took over 30 years to scratch.

 

I started in New York City (arriving before I had left Adelaide), flew to Columbus, then hired an SUV to drive to St Simons.  Much to Jonno’s chagrin, I insisted on three nights in Nashville on the way to satisfy my country music needs.  While he did his own thing, there was Broadway and local bands (have followed multi-instrumentalist Paul Kramer ever since), a Tuesday night at the Good Ole Opry, and a tour incorporating the Ryman and the Country Music Museum.  My DVD of Alison Krauss and Union Station Live at Louisville is an oft-played prized possession.  At this stage, I had never heard of Jimmy Buffett.

 

We got our bearings at St Simons (Sea Island Golf Course was his home for the next few months) and a few days later, I drove Jonno and two other young lads to Hilton Head for their program conference, returning to St Simons that night.  It was Halloween, and the tourist town was chocka due to a big college gridiron derby between the Dawgs and the Gators in Jacksonville the next day.

 

This night was when I came across a busker, Leo Dean (or more accurately, he came across me as I was finishing my meal at an outside restaurant).  “Name me a Jimmy Buffett song you’d like to hear.  I’m a Jimmy Buffett jukebox”.  “Who is Jimmy Buffett?” I asked innocently.  The look on his face will never be forgotten in my mind.  What planet had I come from?  Not to be outdone, I responded with “have you ever heard of Greg Champion?”  Anyway, we had a chat, I bought his CD titled I Got It Made and I kept in email contact with him for a few years.  I wonder how he might be feeling over the legend’s demise.

 

So, since that time I’ve caught up on some lost ground.  Google, Utube, CD purchases, culminated in me wanting and having a Margaritaville themed 60th birthday celebration nearly 8 years ago now.  I had visited the states with my partner two more times in between this first visit on ’08 and this birthday event.  A great night, decorations (a big inflatable shark and posters). Margaritas, Coronas, Hotdogs, loud shirts and a selection of Radio Margaritaville music going all night, all thanks to Marie’s organisational skills.  Unfortunately, these ‘travel experiences’ never coincided with a concert.  I did purchase the next best thing though, the two-DVD Jimmy Buffett Live at Wrigley Field, which I happened to have with me when I visited dad.  Dad is 90 now, and struggling, but he enjoyed watching the DVD again.  He likes Jimmy Buffett too.  None of his friends (those that are left) have heard of him.  It would have been the same for me had it not been for that initial experience in ’08.  I also declare that I had never heard of John Prine either, until I read about his death on this website.  I’ve enjoyed the discovery process on him since that time.

 

 

A couple of clips from from the DVD Jimmy Buffett Live at Wrigley Field,

 

 

Here is soundtrack to Jimmy Buffett Live at Wrigley Field

 

 

And back to the busker at St Simons.  All music written and played by Leo Dean.  Recorded at KnuckleHead Studios, Brunswick GA.  The singing is so-so, the song titles and lyrics are very good and include a song called ‘If Jimmy Buffett Ran the World’.  I concur with Leo.  We would all be a lot better off.

 

 

 

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