Concert Dates, Concert Tour News, Artist Information

Buffett Makes a Cameo on ‘Today’

Jimmy Buffett doesn’t often go parading around in the cold weather, but this morning he was (sans-tropical shirt!) in good company with the news anchors of the Today Show outside Rockefeller Plaza, where the musician made a plug for his new album Buffet Hotel, which drops Dec. 8. Clad in a long black jacket, scarf, Land Shark hat and aviators, Jimmy Buffett made a two-minute appearance on camera during this morning’s segment of the Today Show, offering advice for first-time Today Show performer Susan Boyle, who was another featured guest on the program today.

During the brief Buffett stint on Today, the chief Parrothead spoke about his upcoming album and its lead single “Surfing in a Hurricane,” ensuring the Today hosts that the song was his first and only track written about surfing. Claiming he grew up surfing in Alabama and took what he could get surfing during hurricane season, Buffett’s inspiration for the new single was revealed to the public.

Buffet Hotel will be released Dec. 8, and Buffett’s own Mailboat Records has audio samples available on its website that fans can listen to in advance of the album’s debut. Other songs on Buffett’s upcoming album include the ever-popular “A Lot to Drink About,” “Buffet Hotel,” “Summerzcool,” “Rhumba Man,” “We Learned to Be Cool from You” and many more celebratory tunes. As Buffett mentioned on his Today cameo, it doesn’t matter whether music fans pronounce his album (spelled slightly differently from his last name) “Buffett” (as in his last name) or “Buffet” (as in the furniture), as long as they pick up the album, anyway. We’re guessing that won’t be a problem.

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Buffett to Team up with Zac Brown Band Again!

It was no fluke that brought together Jimmy Buffett and the Zac Brown Band for a recent rendezvous at the Sunset Cove Amphitheatre in Boca Raton, Florida, and now it’s been announced that the two fun-loving musical outfits will join forces once again, this time slated for December. CMT announced yesterday that Jimmy Buffett and the Zac Brown Band are the next musicians to appear side-by-side on an episode of CMT Crossroads, a program that brings two artists from separate genres together to play music together.

The filming of the Jimmy Buffett/Zac Brown Band CMT Crossroads will take place next month, airing on CMT sometime in March. This episode of the CMT special is sure to excite all kinds of music fans, and these two high-energy acts will be sure to bring some electrifying personality to the show. No matter whether they’re playing hits like ZBB’s “Chicken Fried” or “Toes” or Buffett’s “Margaritaville” or “Boat Drinks,” this upcoming CMT special is sure to be one of the best CMT Crossroads programs of all time! Stick around to see what comes from this much-anticipated jam session!

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Buffett to Appear on ‘Today Show’ Next Monday!

Jimmy Buffett will come out of his Caribbean shell and make an appearance on the Today Show on NBC next Monday, Nov. 23, with his upcoming cameo being in promotion for his new album Buffet Hotel, which drops on Dec. 8. Buffett is sure to make a splash on the set of the Today Show on Monday as he talks about his upcoming album and current Summerzcool Tour, and the rest of what he’ll talk about is about as unpredictable as ever.

Buffett’s appearance on the Today Show this month comes as a long-overdue cameo, as the Caribbean crooner was supposed to be a guest on the program last spring. He was slated for a May 5th performance as part of the program’s concert series, but his appearance was cancelled at the last minute due to the outbreak of swine flu and NBC’s decision to devote more time on the developing story. From a statement posted in May, the Today Show confirmed: “Because of the developing swine flu story, we have decided to postpone our ‘Today Takes a Vacation’ trip to San Antonio and Key West. Given the uncertain direction of the story, we are in a better position to cover it fully with all of our anchors, staff and crew at our home base in New York. We have not yet set a new date for the trip, but we look forward to visiting these great cities soon.”

Buffett fans know that no one cancels on the “Margaritaville” singer, and the Today Show should be lucky to have such a good-natured artist booking another appearance on the program.

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Do Parrotheads Thrive in the Winter, Too?

What does Jimmy Buffett do every year once the summer months are over and the coconut bras and hula skirts go back in the closet? Many Parrotheads might think that Buffett goes into hibernation in his Key West haven, but this year Jimmy B. is out to prove he’s not joining the regular flock. Instead, Buffett has scheduled a rare cold-weather performance at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto tomorrow, prompting Parrotheads to perhaps swap the tailgate-friendly margarita for a hot toddy as they prepare for a much-anticipated Buffett performance.

The most recognized parts of Jimmy Buffett concerts are, of course, tailgates, leaving the question of whether or not fans at the ACC will be tailgating in the freezing cold weather this week before Buffett’s Thursday night performance. There may be no barbeques or bikini-wearing Parrotheads at this performance, but if the current trend holds, as Buffett recalls, “I remember going to Minnesota and seeing fans out in the street tailgating. You watch, they will figure it out. Our fans are a very resourceful bunch.”

A Buffett fan in Toronto already has a plan for tomorrow’s Buffett show, as thestar.com reported Parrothead Trina Waddell, 45, as saying, “We’ll form a conga line and dance down the subway.” It’s all to come tomorrow night as Buffett de-ices his Parrothead wings, so stay tuned for the inside scoop!

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All about Buffett’s Recent Fling with Zac Brown Band

It might seem an unlikely hookup, but Jimmy Buffett proved he could transcend genres over the weekend when he played a show at the Sunset Cove Amphitheatre in Boca Raton, Florida with country music’s new “it” group the Zac Brown Band. Buffett and Coral Reefer Mac McAnally were on hand with ZBB last Saturday night (Nov. 14) to bring Floridians to their feet with an amalgam of country and Caribbean-themed music, perhaps even striking a friendship that will continue with more live shows from these two very popular artists in the near future.

The Zac Brown-fronted Zac Brown Band is currently coming off a smash single called “Toes” that takes a Buffett-like attitude with the lyrics “I got my toes in the water, ass in the sand/ Not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand/ Life is good today. Life is good today.” Judging from this No. 1 hit song, it’s no wonder that Zac Brown and Jimmy Buffett have some common ground to bond with, and this could be the start to a blossoming friendship. Rolling Stone reported earlier that Buffett and Brown met for the first time at the Bohemian Grove in San Francisco, where the “Chicken Fried” vocalist played a few of his songs for the chief Parrothead. Are there more shows to come with this powerful double bill? Stay tuned to find out!

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McAnally Calls His Musical Background an ‘Accident’

Coral Reefer Mac McAnally attributes much of his success through the years to plain luck. The famed musician claims to have fallen into a gig coincidentally with Jimmy Buffett’s backing Coral Reefer Band several years ago, never expecting to achieve the status as a mainstream artist known around the country, and in a recent interview with the Miami Herald the talented songwriter and musician had similar things to say about his musical background.

Raised in the backwoods of Mississippi, McAnally said, “I grew up in a fairly poor small town where all the neighbors would come to our house and play music.” Saying he quickly picked up a number of instruments, McAnally also related, “It didn’t feel like training or education. I was just learning something by accident.” All of these ‘accidents’ have combined to bring Mac McAnally into the spotlight as a solo artist, also an absolute gem as part of Jimmy Buffett’s touring act. McAnally is still going strong on Jimmy Buffett’s never-ending Summerzcool Tour, and he performed a gig over the weekend at Land Shark Stadium before the Miami Dolphins game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers yesterday.

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Just What Exactly Is a ‘Land Shark’?

Jimmy Buffett has made his millions off coining enticing phrases and places like “Margaritaville” and “land shark,” and while these words are commonly thrown into everyday dialect, where exactly did they come from? Margaritaville might speak for itself, as it suggests a fictional utopia of boat drinks and sea breezes, but land sharks are a whole different story.

Originating from the Jimmy Buffett hit song “Fins,” land sharks came into being from the Buffett lyrics: “But now she lives down by the ocean/ She’s takin’ care to look for sharks/ They hang out in the local bars/ And they feed right after dark./ Can’t you feel ‘em circlin’ honey?/ Can’t you feel ‘em swimmin’ around?/ You got fins to the left, fins to the right/ And you’re the only bait in town.”

The term “land shark” appears to be poking fun at men who pounce on young women in bars, and Buffett’s definition of the term isn’t so far off. When explaining the motivation for his hit song “Fins,” Buffett recalled what prompted him to write the song, saying, “I was in a bar somewhere up near Daytona Beach and saw a group of guys crowded around some girls who were obviously in town for a beauty contest. I sat back and listened to their conversation and took notes. For a moment I pictured that these guys had fins coming out of their backs as they hit on the girls. It was a pure feeding frenzy, and I scribbled down pieces of their conversation and wrote the song. Now it seems the ‘land shark’ population has increased tremendously.”

The land shark-involving hit song “Fins” was released in 1979 and was instantly one of Buffett’s most popular songs, eventually leading up to the release of Jimmy Buffett’s own brand of beer called Land Shark Lager and, now, the naming of the Miami Dolphins’ stadium as Land Shark Stadium. The term land shark is just another clever Buffett-ism, and we can’t wait to hear what Jimmy B. comes up with next!

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Coral Reefer McAnally Wins Big at CMAs

Last night’s Country Music Association (CMA) Awards were all about the hot new contemporary country music stars (ahem, Taylor Swift), but there were other big winners at last night’s awards show, as well. Posting one of the only repeat wins of the night, Coral Reefer Mac McAnally scored his second consecutive Musician of the Year win, giving Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band a little boost.

McAnally’s win was previously announced, but it was still part of last night’s CMA Awards festivities, as he beat out drummer Eddie Mason, steel guitarist Paul Franklin and guitarists Dann Huff and Brent Mason for the title. Of the night’s win, McAnally said, “I’m very happy. I’m very grateful and thrilled. I’m particularly happy I was nominated in a category where I don’t have to go on a diet.”

McAnally was also nominated for Musical Event of the Year for his duet “Down the Road” with Kenny Chesney, though it was Keith Urban and Brad Paisley’s “Start a Band” that took home the trophy. While Taylor Swift basks in the spotlight today following her four CMA Awards from last night, Mac McAnally will silently slip back into the lineup at upcoming Jimmy Buffett concerts – a role he’s quite comfortable and very content with.

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Get a Buffett-Signed Copy of ‘Treasure Island’ from eBay!

It’s almost ironic that one of Jimmy Buffett’s favorite childhood stories is Treasure Island, as the pirate and gold-involved sea tale could have been the basis for many of Buffett’s seafaring tunes (“A Pirate Looks at 40,” perhaps?). Just as the famed Robert Louis Stevenson tale was the stuff dreams were made of for Buffett as a child, so it can also become a favorite for one lucky bidder of a Buffett-signed copy of the magical tale.

The Literacy Project for Abused and Neglected Children has a number of celebrity-signed books up for sale to support the Hibiscus Children’s Center, and for the benefit Jimmy Buffett has autographed a copy of Treasure Island, with an inscription reading: “A must-read, one of my favorite books – Enjoy. Best wishes, Jimmy Buffett.” The current bid for the copy of this book is at $610 on eBay, and it’s sure to go up from here over the next eight days, as the auction runs through Nov. 19.

Other celebrities endorsing books for this cause include Carrie Underwood, Shaquille O’Neal, Barbara Bush, Kenneth Cole, Steve Martin, Judy Blume and Sean Connery, and 100 percent of the profits will be donated to the Hibiscus Children’s Center in Stuart, Florida.

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Buffett Provides Excitement in St. Barths

This past weekend marked the extravaganza of the decade for all those in attendance in St. Barths at the famed Le Select bar on the French island, and Parrotheads migrated in flocks to this Caribbean-soaked party that featured none other than Jimmy Buffett leading the parade. Le Select’s 60th anniversary party took place over the weekend in a three-day music festival featuring several hot music groups, but it was perhaps Jimmy Buffett that brought many of the weekend’s patrons to Le Select Bar in Gustavia Harbour.

Jimmy Buffett performed on Saturday, Nov. 7 at a free performance on the dock, and several videos have been posted on Jimmy Buffett’s fan site (buffettnews.com), along with a message from Coral Reefer Jim Mayer, who posted a video along with the words: “Hi Everybody! I’m in St Barth with Jimmy. I just posted a video of our drive to and from sound check with Bobby G, Utley and brother Petey.” Sounds like the weekend’s blowout performances were exactly what Jimmy Buffett and his loyal Parrotheads needed, and now Buffett fans can get geared up for Buffett’s next performance on the Summerzcool Tour, which will take place Nov. 17 at the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Virginia.

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