Matt Hoggatt to Play the Margaritaville Circuit

If you were at the Birmingham or Tallahassee shows, or listened to them on Radio Margaritaville, then you’re familiar with the story of Matt Hoggatt.

A Gautier police detective by day, Hoggatt won an American Songwriter magazine lyric contest for his song “Dear Jimmy Buffett.” At the Birmingham and Tallahassee shows, Buffett invited him on stage to sing his song, which asks Jimmy for a record deal. Turns out Buffett is giving Hoggatt his chance, putting him on the Margaritaville circuit:

The idea of going on a Buffett-designed tour is “insanely insane,” Hoggatt said. “And on top of that, it’s crazy. It’s still sinking in.”

On Friday, Hoggatt will be performing at Margaritaville Panama City Beach from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Then, on Saturday, he will take the stage at Lulu’s at Homeport in Gulf Shores from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and on March 11, he will be at Margaritaville New Orleans for a 5-7 p.m. show.

Accompanying Hoggatt will be guitarist Kyle Rife, who plays in the band for singer Ilo Ferreira, a Cape Verde native who Buffett also discovered.

“This is kind of the next step along the way in seeing if I get offered a deal or not,” Hoggatt said.

Additional tour dates are pending in Key West, Charleston and Orlando.

Read more here.