What can you say about Jimmy Buffett that hasn’t been said in the past week and a half? He was an American musician and singer-songwriter, best known for his tropical rock music. He was also an entrepreneur who made a name for himself with:
- restaurant chains (Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, Cheeseburger in Paradise, LandShark Bar & Grill )
- record label (Margaritaville Records and Mailboat Records)
- beer (Land Shark Lager)
- casinos (Margaritaville Casino)
- sports teams (he was part owner 2 minor league baseball teams)
- video games (Margaritaville Online)
- retirement communities (Latitude Mararitaville)
- cannabis (Coral Reefer brand)
I mean, through his Margaritaville brand alone, Buffett licensed hotels, casinos, cruise experiences, restaurants and bars, packaged foods, beverages, spirits, outdoor furniture, home goods, appliances, and apparel and accessories. He also dabbled in book writing, show writing and acting, and was involved in charity work (environmental conservation, charity performances and disaster relief).
Although he was born in Mississippi, Jimmy Buffett eventually settled in Key West in the early 1970s. The Conch Republic was Buffett’s home during some of his most productive years. Key West was also where he developed the “tropical rock” style that flavored his music throughout his career. The island’s characters, landmarks and lifestyle are referenced repeatedly in his lyrics.
Two days after Buffett’s death, Key West honored him with a second line parade, reminiscent of the kinds done in New Orleans to mark the death of people.
From WPLG Local 10:
Jimmy Buffett moved us all and made us want to slide on our flip-flops and head to Key West to Margaritaville. It’s more than just a restaurant or a hotel; it’s an anthem, a way of life, and a sense of belonging to a family of millions you’ve never met. He lived, played, worked, fished, flew into Key West for decades and put that tiny island on a global map. With his passing, there’s a hole in a lot of fans’ hearts who would love to say they’re flying into Jimmy Buffett airport. It’s been done for John Wayne, Bob Hope, Louis Armstrong just to name a few. I believe Buffett being an aviator himself would be honored to have the airport he always called home to be named after him. I’m asking fans all over the world to sign and share this petition so that we can honor Mr. Jimmy Buffett for many generations to come: Jimmy Buffett international Airport.
- Louis Armstrong (New Orleans)
- Bob Hope (Burbank)
- John Wayne (Santa Ana)
- Charles Schultz (Santa Rosa)
- John Lennon (Liverpool)
- Leonardo da Vinci (Flumicino)
- Mozart (Salzburg)
- And the inventor of the greatest swimming pool game in the world 😜, Marco Polo (Venice)
Changing the name of an airport isn’t an impossible feat. If they were to rename the airport to just ADD Buffett’s name, I’m betting it would be even less impossible. Key West Jimmy Buffett International Airport, anyone? Kinda long, but still doable. Someone’s already played around with the sign… This was the Sept. 10th update to the change.org petition:
Fingers crossed, Parrotheads. Fingers crossed.
Feature photo: Monroe County FL
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