Radio Margaritaville Remembers the Legendary Ralph MacDonald:

Remember with us some of Ralph’s great music, and a full life of fun and camaraderie, on this tribute program with band-mate Jim Mayer and Radio Margaritaville’s Steve Huntington.

Broadcast Schedule:

• Thursday: 6pm
• Saturday: 6am
• Sunday: 11pm

Listen at RadioMargaritaville.com or on Sirius/XM.

A memorial service was held for Ralph this morning in New York. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Bennett Cancer Center at Stamford Hospital to assist those who need extra support in fighting their battle with cancer. Ralph has always been a big proponent of helping the youth in Harlem. The Buster Bryant Youth organization operated by the Dunlevy Milbank Center of the Children’s Aid Society was one of his favorite charities, and his dedication even garnered him an Award. Please help continue his legacy by considering a donation to this organization as well. Details will be forthcoming on exactly how to donate.

Jimmy Buffett and his wife Jane purchased a new Palm Beach property this week, according to the Palm Beach Daily News:

Talk about downsizing.

After selling their Palm Beach oceanfront estate last year for $18.5 million, singer Jimmy Buffett and his wife, Jane, have bought a three-bedroom, three-bath home on the North End.

The couple paid $4.95 million for the house at 309 Garden Road, according to a trustees’ deed dated Dec. 16 and recorded Wednesday by the Palm Beach County Clerk’s office.

As described in McCann’s sales listing, the custom house in the “island contemporary” style was built in 2003. The property has a “Zen-like retreat feeling,” according to Corcoran’s property description. “Mahogany-framed glass doors slide open and disappear to create an indoor/outdoor lifestyle befitting a tropical resort.”

The property includes a guest suite above a two-car garage and comes with deeded beach access at Eden Road with additional beach access at Via Marila.

In June 2010, the Buffetts sold their five-bedroom seaside home on 1.6 acres at 540 S. Ocean Blvd. They had paid $4.4 million for that house in 1994.

Nadirah Shakoor posted this video of Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band doing “Knees of My Heart” in a hotel room in 1999 as Ralph contributes with plastic bags and sheets of paper. As Nadirah said, this is “one reason Ralph is hailed as one of the best.”

Mac McAnally also left a very nice remembrance on his Facebook page:

So as you may know by now the Coral Reefer Family lost a Big Brother this week. Ralph MacDonald was One of a Kind in a hundred ways, and was family to me in more than one way as well.

At first inspection we were as different as one could imagine. A white kid from small town Mississippi and a black kid from Harlem. A larger than life of the party guy and a boring Southern Baptist. But we both have these Irish names…. and nicknames (both called Mac). And it turns out we both put our families and our music far above all other things. Ralph lit up at the mention of his kids or his Grace or his music in a way that cannot be measured or faked.

And so the two Mac’s in the Coral Reefers turn out to be more alike than different. My life is better better for having known him. Because of Ralph I’m a better Musician and a better Father and there’s always room for improvement.

As a percussionist (the official term does not do him justice) he did what he did as well as it’s ever been done. Period.

I and my Daughters are blessed to call him family and his status does not change with his passing. He had and shared so much and I will never forget him.

A life well lived.

GodSpeed my Brother

Mac McAnally

Longtime Coral Reefer Ralph MacDonald died early this morning after battling lung cancer.

From his humble beginnings as the son of Caribbean immigrant parents, MacDonald followed his family’s musical heritage and, in the process, defined the the very nature of percussion in American music.

Our condolences to Ralph’s friends and family.

(H/T Bam Bam)

Update:

• Uncle Jim Mayer remembers Ralph
• Peter Mayer’s message on Facebook
• NY Daily News: “Ralph MacDonald dies at 67”

WLOX Channel 13 in Biloxi, Mississippi checked in on the progress of the Margaritaville Casino under construction on the Gulf Coast and found that work is moving at a dizzying pace.

Officials say the casino is on pace for a Memorial Weekend 2012 opening.

Watch the video report: