It will always be hard for the Gulf to show the proper amount of gratitude due to our native son Jimmy Buffett. But local Parrotheads will get their opportunity to do so come June 6, when Buffett and his Coral Reefer Band invade The Wharf in Orange Beach for a stop on his “I Don’t Know” tour, which many are speculating (as they have for years) will be his last.
We at Century 21 Meyer – Kris Powell figured we’d commemorate the occasion by recalling some memorable connections Buffett shares with our little slice of paradise.
Childhood in Mobile
Although he was born in the sleepy town of Pascagoula just down the road from Biloxi, Buffett spent his childhood years in Mobile and attended McGill-Toolen Catholic High School. As he’s sung about in songs, Buffet’s parents wanted him to grow up to become either a Jesuit priest or a naval officer. While that didn’t exactly work out, his love of the water manifested itself in his music, which has provided the world a soundtrack for its seductive relationship with a Beachcomber lifestyle.
The Gulf in Music
Just like you can’t change a leopard’s spots, Buffett’s music morphed into exactly what you would expect from someone with roots in the Gulf. From early folk rock to busking in New Orleans, Buffett didn’t truly embrace his legendary style until the early 1970s. While the majority of Buffett’s collection invokes imagery of oceans, beaches, and the like, a handful of songs center around life in Gulf, such as 1989’s “The Pascagoula Run” and 1976’s “The Captain and the Kid”.
Buffett has always been a steward for the area as well. His 2010 Gulf Shores Benefit Concert helped officially open the Gulf back up for business after the oil spill.
LuLu’s
We’d be remiss to mention the world famous restaurant LuLu’s on Homeport Marina. The restaurant’s connection to Jimmy? It’s owned by his sister, Lucy Buffett. If you haven’t made your way to LuLu’s yet, you’re missing out on an evening (or afternoon!) of fun and a close-up look at that signature Buffett free spirit! We highly recommend you stop in while you down here.
So if you’re lucky enough to score tickets to next week’s show, do your best to pay homage to the Gulf Shores legend and an American Legend, Jimmy Buffett.
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