By Joshua Cowsert
On September 1st, 2023, the sunshine on the seas got a little bit dimmer as we said Goodbye to a legend, Jimmy Buffett. According to a press release, the beloved singer-songwriter passed away at his home in Sag Harbor, Long Island, surrounded by family and friends. Jimmy, 76, had been fighting Merkel Cell Skin Cancer for four years.
With a recording career that spanned more than 50 years and included hits such as “Margaritaville,” “Come Monday” and “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” Jimmy was one of the most successful performers in popular music. He filled arenas with fans who called themselves “Parrot Heads,” and popularized a signature blend of folk, country and Caribbean music with lyrics that often reflected Buffett’s world travels.
Having spent part of his childhood in Mobile and nearby Fairhope, Ala., his name, brand and music mean a lot of things to a lot of people, but to me it means friendship and charity. As a late arrival to the “Margaritaville lifestyle” that called so many to associate with his name, I’ve seen so much more than what it seems from the outside looking in!
As a local and at my first run in with his fan club, the Emerald Coast Parrot Head Club, I was floored at how much more there was to find! Of course, there was fun to be had, but the primary saying of each and every encounter was, “Yes, we like to party, BUT with a purpose.” Time and again at each meeting, this concept was reinforced by the charitable donations of the fan club. Ranging from children’s homes, to shelters for pets or people who are otherwise unable to find help, there is never a party without a close-to-home charity in mind!
In September, shortly after his passing, there was an exceptional party. However, as the purpose was a final send off for Jimmy, including the reading of a poem from one of the club members written to commemorate his passing, top rock tunes and memories of treasured times were passed all around among friends! From concerts attended, to tailgate and after parties dearly remembered, each and every Parrot Head had something to share. We had all come together to honor and remember one of our own, and the very reason for our attendance!
According to Jimmy, “I’d rather die living, than live while I’m dead.” He certainly lived life to the absolute fullest. Though he travelled all over the world for his music, at its heart, there was always that longing for closeness to the sea and sandy beaches that he came from right here on the Emerald Coast. Come Monday, he could always walk back in those doors to boiling shrimp and a margarita; but come last Friday, he set out with toes in the water for his very own Key West in the sky.
Sail on, Skipper! We’ll see you again for our very own 5 o’clock watch!
