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Florida Advances Bills to Honor Jimmy

January 11th, 2024


The Florida legislature has advanced two bills to honor the late Jimmy Buffett:

Buffett, the iconic Florida singer who died last year, wrote songs that drove tourists to the Florida Keys looking for sun, sand and relaxation.

Now the Florida Legislature wants to return the favor. A state Senate committee on Wednesday unanimously approved two bills to honor Buffett after watching a short video tribute to him.

“Margaritaville is just what Florida is all about. Jimmy Buffett is the icon of Florida. No one represents the open sun, beaches, music more than Jimmy Buffett and Margaritaville,” said Republican state Sen. Gayle Harrell, who sponsored one of the bills.

State Road A1A, the historic scenic highway that winds about 340 miles (545 kilometers) along Florida’s Atlantic Coast, would become Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway under one bill. The other bill would create a specialty license plate with the word “Margaritaville” — a Buffett song that has become a nickname for Key West.

“I happen to prefer the one with the beach chair, the tree on the water and a plane,” Harrell said while showing the Senate Transportation Committee samples of suggested license plates. “But it’s missing a red parrot. We need to add a red parrot to that one.”

While the bills were enthusiastically received, Democratic state Sen. Tracie Davis couldn’t help express a little disappointment.

“I feel somewhat slighted that we don’t have margaritas up here,” she said to laughs.


Tagged in Personal/Family, Politics

Merry Christmas

December 25th, 2023


Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas today on what would have been Jimmy Buffett’s 77th birthday. We also wish the Buffett family comfort in their first Christmas without Jimmy.

Jimmy wrote this about his birthday and Christmas for his 1996 album Christmas Island:

For those of you who didn’t know, I was born on Christmas Day 1946, the day W.C. Fields died. I think this only goes to prove that God does have a sense of humor, but being born on Christmas was rough going at first. The most obvious scam was to try and double up on presents. “Here’s your Birthday and Christmas present.” I even knew at that young tender age that a scam was in progress and it did not sit well with me. More importantly, it did not sit well with my mother, who made it known, in no uncertain terms to the aunts, uncles and cousins of the Buffett clan strung out along the Gulf coast, that she expected two presents for her bouncing baby boy-one for his birthday and one for Christmas. On the whole it worked quite well, though there were a few Scrooge like occurrences where I would get socks for my birthday and a tie for Christmas. This probably is the reason I never have liked to wear either since.


Tagged in Personal/Family

CMA Awards to Feature Tribute to Jimmy Buffett

November 1st, 2023


At the CMA Awards on Wednesday, November 8th, a quartet of stars will pay tribute to Jimmy Buffett.

The late Jimmy Buffett will be honored with “a very special tribute” from Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Mac McAnally and Zac Brown Band at the upcoming 57th Annual CMA Awards. The Country Music Association (CMA) revealed the news early Wednesday morning.

11-time CMA Award winner Chesney, 10-time CMA Award winner and longtime The Coral Reefer Band member Mac McAnally, 16-time CMA Award winner Alan Jackson and 2023 Vocal Group of the Year nominee Zac Brown Band have each previously collaborated with the “Margaritaville” singer/songwriter so the performance will be profoundly meaningful.


Tagged in Personal/Family, Related Artists, Television

Miami Heat Honor Buffett on Opening Night

October 26th, 2023


The Miami Heat played their first game of the 2023-24 season on Wednesday night and the team took a moment to honor Jimmy with his daughter Savannah in attendance. She sat next to an empty chair with a guitar on the seat.


photo Josh Moser

photo Josh Moser

Buffett regularly attended Heat games. During the 2014 NBA Finals, SB Nation created a GIF of Jimmy and titled it “Jimmy Buffett is way too excited the Heat are losing”

And a story about Buffett and the Miami Heat wouldn’t be complete without a mention of his ejection from a game in 2001 after cursing at a referee: Jimmy Buffett Ejected from Miami Heat Game


Tagged in Personal/Family, Sports

Florida Lawmakers File Bill to Rename Parts of A1A After Buffett

October 4th, 2023


Parts of the iconic A1A highway in Florida may be designated as the Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway if a bill filed last week becomes law:

In the weeks since Jimmy Buffett passed away, there have been many tributes to the singer-songwriter. Now, one looks to trump them all, and it may become one of the most impressive honors to come to the musician following his death.

Fans of the legendary singer-songwriter may soon have the chance to cruise down one of Florida’s iconic coastal highways, which could be renamed for the late star. State Representative Chuck Clemons, a Florida Republican, has filed House Bill 91, seeking to grant an “honorary designation” to specific portions of State Road A1A in certain counties in the state.

If the bill is approved, the coastal highway, which stretches from Key West in the south to Fernandina Beach in the north, will be renamed the Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway. The name will take affect in a number of counties, including Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Nassau, among many others.


Tagged in Albums, Personal/Family, Politics