Passing of an Icon
Year or so back, Jerry Jeff Walker’s “Memorial concert” was a full circle for me. Didn’t realize it, but was the last time to see Jimmy Buffett live. The full circle nature of it, outdoor, under a wan Texas night’s sky, dulcet strains of what’s now called “Americana” music by a variety of performers, as an homage to one of the greats, and at one time , the godfather of “Texas” music. That childhood memory is infused with smoke and a certain unknown quantity. The further distant memory is Jimmy Buffett before his Corral Reefer band, just a guitar, under the sky, singing a lonesome ballad.
Passing of an Icon
Stacking memories, it was a buddy loudly rolling into a bar when I was working, screaming for “Boat Drinks!” Our version was something of rum, either cheap run, or sometimes, the good stuff, but mostly run, orange juice, and “bar” pineapple juice. Sugar, citrus, alcohol, what could be better? The other memory was I made a really good margarita, but true confession? I nevver drank them. I have a certain “white person” allergy to tequila.
It was that old motorcycle buddy hollering for “Boat drinks” on a cold night in old north Texas.
Didn’t see Buffett in concert again until the middle of the 80s, Phoenix-area, on the lawn with friends.
Then Houston, and Dallas, with my red-headed Capricorn friend. We did Washington-Baltimore, one Labor Day weekend show, too.
Passing of an Icon
There was, for a number of years, a restaurant in El Paso, called “JB’s.” The owner extolled the virtues of seeing Jimmy Buffett in Las Vegas. I think that’s the last big concert I was at, probably pre-pandemic. It was from that breakfast spot to Las Vegas, that’s how I got into that tangent.
In Austin, at the old new race track? Jimmy Buffett’s encore was a Grateful Dead tune, and my life was complete.
One of the more recent pieces of stage banter, Buffett recalled getting thrown out of bar, with Willie Nelson, too drunk to karaoke their own songs?
Buffett asked about retiring, and allegedly, Willie replied, “From what?”
Passing of an Icon
There was passage in one of the Tim Dorsey books, something about Jimmy Buffett (Capricorn) being one of the hardest working industry leaders despite that the lifestyle being promoted is some kind of easy-going beach lifestyle.
I counted three or four tractor trailers hauling the stage set-up for Buffett’s show. Margaritaville is an international chain. One of the early albums influenced my own pace and styles, working every other day instead of trying to work straight through.
Pop music sound tracks for my own life, and now?
Via con dios, dude.
Odd, one the lines from the early, now classic hit, “Come Monday?”
“Headed up to San Fransisco for a Labor Day weekend show…”
