In today’s Miami New Times, music industry veteran Lee Zimmerman writes about his part in helping Jimmy Buffett’s young career:
While Jimmy Buffett was a relative unknown around the rest of the country, he was already a fairly big name in Florida, so it became incumbent upon me to build some local airplay for “Margaritaville” — the first single off his Changes In Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes album. Fortunately, it was one of those rare occasions where some normally conservative stations agreed to give an untested record airplay practically out of the box. Being that he was now considered a native son, and that his lyrics about blown out flip-flops and soothing concoctions aptly reflected the state’s sunnier side, access to their charts seemed appropriate.
Soon, stations from Miami to Jacksonville, and practically everywhere in-between, were blasting the song in heavy rotation, giving impetus to other radio stations across the country to also give it a spin. On May 7, 1977, “Margaritaville” cracked Billboard’s top ten, and Buffett was a big star, one who could finally claim hit-making credentials. And I became a hero in my own right, having launched a chart-topper and helped create a new cash cow. A few weeks later, UPS delivered a plaque to my house — a “gold record” signifying sales of more than a million copies of the album, boasting my name as the object of the label’s gratitude.
The big show returned to South Carolina Tuesday night as Jimmy and the band continued the final session of the Summerzcool Tour with a show in Columbia, South Carolina.
The 2010 Summerzcool Tour continues Thursday with a show in Orlando, FL. Between now and then, be sure to catch the Coral Reefers live from Margaritaville Orlando Wednesday night on Radio Margaritaville. Show time is 8:30 central, 9:30 eastern!
The crew of the space shuttle Endeavour awoke Tuesday afternoon to the sounds of Jimmy Buffett’s “Window On The World”. Mission Control sent up the music at 4:14 pm with the shuttle 220 miles up docked to the International Space Station.
Two American astronauts will venture outside the International Space Station today while crewmates inside the complex crank open for the first time shutters covering seven windows on the Italian-built Cupola observation deck.
“That song is very appropriate today,” said Endeavour mission specialist Kay Hire, who, like Buffett, is a native of Mobile, Ala. “On a day that we’ll be working on opening our new window on the world.”
This isn’t the first time Buffett’s music has served as an astronaut wake-up call. In 2006, the crew of Atlantis awoke to “Twelve Volt Man” and in 2008 it was “Oysters and Pearls” that was played to another Atlantis team.
Endeavour and its crew of six launched February 8th and are scheduled to return to earth on Sunday.
Update – You can listen to the recording of the song and astronaut Kay Hire’s reaction to it here (from NASA via @WAOTNC)
2009 was another big year for Jimmy Buffett. His summer tour was hugely successful again, he partnered with the Miami Dolphins to rename their home field Landshark Stadium, and a new album dropped in December. And of course there was lots more in between. So here’s our Jimmy Buffett 2009 Year in Review:
January
In early January Jimmy made a swing through the Caribbean, making stops at his Margaritaville Cafes in Grand Cayman and Cozumel where he, Mac, and Nadirah played surprise shows
Buffett attends Wounded Warriors Project’s Soldier Ride in Key West
Spring and summer tour dates began to trickle out in mid-to-late January
February
On February 2nd Margaritaville.com confirmed all shows for the Summerzcool Tour
Also on February 2nd, Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber Restaurant opened in Honolulu
Parrothead license plates become available for South Carolina residents
On February 12th, Jimmy played a surprise show at the Margaritaville in Key West
About 2 weeks later, Mailboat Records releases 4 digital downloads from the Key West show
On Tuesday the 24th, Buffett and the Coral Reefers open the 2009 Summerzcool Tour in Maui
On the 26th he plays a private show for the opening of Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber
March
Jimmy performs at Netscape founder Jim Clark’s wedding in the British Virgin Islands
In late March, we report that Margaritaville Rum is coming soon
Also at the end of the month, Coral Reefer Mac McAnally releases a new single: “You First”
April
Buffett sends out an April Fool’s joke on his Twitter account saying that the summer tour has been canceled
On April 10th, Jimmy called in to Radio Margaritaville to discuss the tour and a new album in the works
First rumblings surface about Jimmy entering into a partnership with the Miami Dolphins
Spring tour kicks off in Atlanta on April 16th
Buffett also plays Dallas, Charlotte, Raleigh, and Tampa in April
A planned Today Show appearance by Jimmy in Key West in May is scrapped so that the NBC staff could stay in NYC to cover the Swine Flu outbreak
May
It was announced on May 1st that Jimmy had entered into a agreement with the Miami Dolphins to rename their home field “Landshark Stadium”
The Fall tour dates are removed from Margaritaville.com, causing mass speculation and frustrating parrotheads on the West Coast
On May 8th the Dolphins held a press conference in Miami announcing the stadium’s name change to Landshark Stadium. Jimmy performed at the event
Tour resumed on May 14th in Phoenix. Jimmy also plays Las Vegas, Concord CA, and Irvina CA in May
Additional Fall tour dates are announced in London, Paris, Orlando, and Charlottsville, VA. The San Diego, Seattle, and Las Vegas shows planned for the Fall are officially canceled
June
Trump Entertainment Resorts terminates the agreement with Coastal Development to buy the Trump Marina and Casino and turn it into a Margaritaville-themed casino
It’s announced that the first Canadian Margaritaville will open in Edmonton
Prior to the Dolphins Monday Night Football game on the 21st, Jimmy performs outside of the stadium
A new line of iced tea by Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville is announced
On September 30th it was announced that Jimmy had joined the effort to restore Miami’s Marine Stadium, the venue for the Live By The Bay show from 1985.
October
On October 16th the Margaritaville on Grand Cayman was robbed
Jimmy plays for the National Association of Convenience Stores in Las Vegas
Jimmy performs at Neil Young’s Bridge School Benefit in Mountain View, CA on October 24th
November
We reported on the 3rd that “Margaritaville” had been trademarked for video game use
On the 7th, Jimmy played a show on St. Barth’s for the 60th anniversary of Le Select
The CMA Awards were held on the 11th and Coral Reefer Mac McAnally won Musician Of The Year for the second straight year
Jimmy plays final shows of the Summerzcool Tour in Charlottsville VA, Toronto, Uncasville CT, and New York City
On the morning of the 23rd, Jimmy appeared on the Today Show to discuss his upcoming album “Buffet Hotel”
December
Jimmy’s new album “Buffet Hotel” is released. It’s Jimmy’s first studio album since “Take The Weather With You” in 2006
On the 9th, Jimmy and the Zac Brown Band tape an episode of CMT Crossroads in Nashville
We reported on the 13th that Buffett had acquired two new airplanes
On the 17th, we reported that an aviation departure procedure out of Palm Beach International Airport in Florida had been named after Jimmy
We report on the 18th that a job listing for a General Manager at a Margaritaville location in Nashville had been posted
On Christmas Day, Jimmy celebrated his 63rd birthday
Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band will take their Summerzcool Tour north of the border tonight for a show at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
Buffett will take the stage shortly after 8 pm ET and you can listen live on Radio Margaritaville on the web or Sirius 31 / XM 55.
You can follow along with the set list and chat with other parrotheads during the show on our discussion board, and also follow us on Twitter for tweets during the show.
After tonight’s show, only two tour dates remain: Saturday at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT and Tuesday at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Jimmy Buffett is lending his hand to Marine Stadium, a Miami landmark that has been in disrepair since Hurricane Andrew damaged it in 1992. Originally built for hydroplane racing, the venue hosted several Jimmy Buffett concerts, including the 1985 show that was taped for the Live By The Bay VHS.
The Miami Dolphins hosted the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night for the home opener at Landshark Stadium. Before the game, Jimmy Buffett performed for a few thousands fans outside of the gates:
Jimmy Buffett did a pre-game music set outside the stadium that attracted the Estefans, Williams, rapper T-Pain and race car driver Helio Castroneves.
Buffett got the tailgaters in the mood with his concert on the promenade, fans coming right up to the stage to wave their aqua foam fins to the left and to the right.
“It’s almost game time. Let’s send ‘em in in the right mood,” he told a crowd of some 3,000 or more.
The Jaws theme started and then he broke into Fins, which he has remixed into a Dolphins theme song, this time slipping in, “We’re going to dine on horse meat tonight,” a warning to the Indianapolis Colts.
[Dolphins owner Stephen] Ross came on stage at the end of the concert and toasted the crowd – with a LandShark Lager.
Despite the good karma from the pregame Buffett concert, the Dolphins fell to the Colts by a score of 27-23.
The Belfast Telegraph has an article that includes excerpts from a book that details U2 singer Bono’s experience onboard the Hemisphere Dancer during the Jamaica Mistaica incident:
The U2 singer, his wife Ali and their children Jordan and Eve, then aged just six and three, were lucky to escape with their lives after 100 rounds of bullets were fired at them.
They had flown into the Caribbean country on an Albatross World War Two seaplane for a holiday in January 1996.
But as they were landing authorities mistook them for drug smugglers and fired a hail of bullets while the family was disembarking.
The plane was hit at least seven times.
Bono said at the time: “I don’t know how we came through it.
“These boys were shooting all over the place.
“I felt as if we were in the middle of a James Bond movie — only this was real.
“It was absolutely terrifying and I honestly thought we were all going to die.
“Thank God we were safe and sound. My only concern was for their safety.
“It was very scary, let me tell you.
“You can’t believe the relief I felt when I saw the kids were okay.”
The incident has been recalled in a new book, Stop The Press: An Inside Story Of The Tabloids In Ireland, written by journalist John Kierans.
Bono, Ali and their children dived for cover fearing they were about to be killed, but miraculously survived unhurt.
Bono was so shocked that he and his family left Jamaica and flew straight to Miami, Florida.
Politico 44 reports that Jimmy Buffett was spotted at the White House today:
DEPARTURE: President Obama walked out of the Oval Office around 1 p.m., wearing a casual jacket and khakis, waving to the press once before boarding Marine One. He is scheduled to be at Camp David through Sunday, where spokesman Robert Gibbs has said he will spend some time reviewing Gen. McChrystal’s report on Afghanistan.
PLUS: Jimmy Buffett was spotted at the White House Wednesday afternoon. But he wouldn’t speak – or sing – to reporters. — Amie Parnes (UPDATED 1:31 p.m.)
In today’s Miami New Times, music industry veteran Lee Zimmerman writes about his part in helping Jimmy Buffett’s young career:
The big show returned to South Carolina Tuesday night as Jimmy and the band continued the final session of the 
The crew of the space shuttle Endeavour 
Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band will take their 
The Miami Dolphins hosted the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night for the home opener at Landshark Stadium. Before the game, Jimmy Buffett 
The Belfast Telegraph has an 
A memorial service will be held today at 
