For most of you, it was a long time ago.
I ask because I recently went to one of his concerts. Back in the day, artists went on the road to promote their latest albums. Now Jimmy has turned the tables. He uses the road trip as material for his discs.
Buffett’s latest disc consists of recordings of encores from his concerts.
While I was at the concert I saw a friend of mine who’s been a deejay here for nearly 30 years. He told me this was his first Jimmy Buffett concert and he was amazed. Here’s why.
The capacity crowd of over 21,000 crossed multiple generations, with the bulk of the audience in the 40-60 age range. They did what all Buffett audiences do, populating the parking lot with the sort of tailgate party that etches into one’s memory. It was reminiscent of the Deadheads, sort of a Deadheads-with-financial-resources crowd.
The majority of the concertgoers were dressed for fun. Some came as characters in Buffett songs. Others sported stuffed parrots, an homage to the Parrothead moniker adopted by Buffett followers. To my deejay friend’s surprise, all were true Buffett fans. Many had traveled for hours for the event.
My friend and I stood for a few minutes, watching the passing parade, and I got to thinking about the musical show we were about to experience. Here was an artist who would have a lot of trouble getting radio stations to play his new stuff today, so he has his own Internet streaming station, Radio Margaritaville, which is also carried by SIRIUS.
His name appears on an international chain of bars, restaurants and gift shops, where his trade mark merchandise, books and CDs are sold. There’s a Margaritaville food line, a Margaritaville mixer and liquor line, Buffett beer brand, barbecue grills, shoes, clothing line, ice chests, and he’s listed as an owner in a couple casinos.
Here is an entertainer who got some good radio airplay for his early music and parlayed that early popularity into a retail and entertainment conglomerate unequalled by any other entertainer I can name. When music radio turned its back on his releases, he took it on the road, selling out concerts everywhere he went.
Radio Margaritaville is run just like any radio station, except that the commercials promote all his businesses, products and his appearances. Jocks take requests via phone or email, and they take time to converse when you get in touch. Some are paid by Buffett’s organization. Others are on the SIRIUS payroll and at least one does his shift for free just because he enjoys it.
As usual, we thoroughly enjoyed the concert, as well as the “show” that was going on all around us. Easily 90 percent of the crowd knew the words to the songs and sang along. Beach balls bounced through the pavilion and among those on the lawn throughout the evening. Most of the crowd was on its feet during a large portion of the concert.
I particularly enjoyed watching the couple across the aisle from us. They were easily in their mid-80s. He was wearing a Buffett t-shirt and hat. She had on a Buffett t-shirt with a clam shell “bra” strapped around the outside. They stood and sang during most of the songs. When they sat, he tapped his cane to the rhythm.
A lot of today’s kids would have made fun of them, and those same kids wouldn’t have been caught dead at a concert like this one. So what? Buffett got a lot of money from all those adults willing to ante up for the high-priced tickets. If anyone was embarrassed, it wasn’t evident. It was a large bunch of people having a great time.
If radio isn’t interested in playing Jimmy’s music I’m sure that’s fine with him.
Jimmy Buffett is laughing all the way to the bank.
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