Tag: Jimmy Buffett

In memoriam: Celebrities who died in 2023

The famous faces we’ve lost in 2023.

The CMA Awards paid tribute to Jimmy Buffett with an awesome medley of his best songs

The CMA Awards paid tribute to the late Jimmy Buffett with this awesome medley.

The CMA Awards paid tribute to the late singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett with a medley of some of his best-known songs.

Buffett, who died in September, had one of the most prolific music careers of anyone in his era.

A number of notable country music stars, including Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Zac Brown Band and Mac McAnally, tipped their hats to Buffett’s legacy during the awards show on Wednesday night in Nashville.

You can watch Chesney and McAnally team up to perform Buffett’s “A Pirate Looks at Forty” and Jackson and Brown team up to perform Buffett’s “Margaritaville” and “Son of a Son of a Sailor” below.

If you’re a major Parrothead or just a casual fan, there was plenty to enjoy in this special tribute to one of the most beloved musicians of his generation.

This was the kind of awesome multi-artist performance that helps make a music-oriented awards show like the CMA Awards special.

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Photos: There was one place Jimmy Buffett loved almost as much as the beach — the golf course

While he was best known for spending time on the beach, Buffett also had been bitten by the golf bug in a big way.

Jimmy Buffett died Friday from Merkel cell skin cancer, an affliction he had been battling for four years, according to a statement on his official website. He was 76.

And while he was best known for spending time on the beach, Buffett also had been bitten by the golf bug in a big way.

He was known for dropping in golf course visits in the middle of his rigorous concert tours. For example, while playing a gig in Dublin, Buffett snuck in a round at Portmarnock Golf Club, and while headlining in Paris he posted pictures from St. Cloud Country Club.

Also, the musician was on hand for a 2018 U.S. Senior Women’s Open practice round, serving as a caddie for competitor Patricia Ehrhart. That tournament was contested at Chicago Golf Club yet he performed at Wrigley Field later that week.

According to a story from USA Today, the singer died “peacefully … surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs.”

Buffett struggled with an undisclosed health issue starting in 2022, when he was hospitalized and forced to cancel several shows. In May and June 2023, he canceled more concerts after revealing he was “back in the hospital to address some issues that needed immediate attention.”

Along with his 1977 breakthrough “Margaritaville,” the languid ode to relaxation with a buzzy bent that was submitted to the National Recording Registry in 2023, Buffett penned a bonanza of pop culture staples in the 1970s and 1980s.

“Come Monday,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” “A Pirate Looks at Forty” and “Pencil Thin Mustache” were alternately contemplative and silly. But all bore Buffett’s signature sound that became known as “trop rock,” or, as Buffett called it, “Gulf and Western,” with acoustic guitar, steel drums and pedal steel guitar injected into their backbone.

Born on Christmas Day 1946 in Pascagoula, Mississippi, Buffett grew up in nearby Mobile, Alabama, where he developed a love of sailing from his grandfather.

Here’s a look at some of Buffett’s documented golf excursions, including a look at a post that proclaimed he had a hole-in-one.

Andy Reid remembers the late great Jimmy Buffett as a ‘renaissance man’

Reid called late singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett a “renaissance man” in his comments to the media at a #Chiefs press conference on Sunday.

Flags will fly at half-staff in homes of Parrotheads across the country after the death of Jimmy Buffett last week, and Kansas City Chiefs head coach made a point to eulogize the late icon during his comments to the media on Sunday.

“I saw him play a few times at the Greek Theatre in LA. Great guy,” Reid said. “Very few guys can be a great singer and a writer period — of books — and he did it all, [he was a] renaissance man. And then he still sailed through the Bahamas.”

Many fans may not have pegged Reid as a connoisseur of Buffett’s music, but the head coach is clearly well-versed in the late singer-songwriter’s laidback tunes.

While the world mourns the passing of Buffett this week, Reid is sure to be among those who will dust off their old records and throw on such classics as “Fins,” “Last Mango in Paris,” “Pencil Thin Mustache,” and “Grapefruit-Juicy Fruit.”

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Saints issue statement on the death of longtime fan Jimmy Buffett

The Saints issued a statement on the death of longtime celebrity fan Jimmy Buffett, expressing condolences to his family, friends, and fans:

The Who Dat Nation got a little smaller on Saturday with the news that longtime celebrity fan Jimmy Buffett has died at 76. Buffett, a lifelong New Orleans Saints fan and native of Pascagoula, Miss., was a frequent sight at the Caesars Superdome and Saints training camp over the years.

Buffett was also a legendary singer and songwriter, building an empire out of his unique brand of country music with pop and calypso influences that celebrated the “beach bum” lifestyle. A graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, he developed an appreciation of the natural world around him that led to charitable efforts supporting hurricane relief, wildlife conservation, and cleanup following the BP oil spill disaster.

And he had a tight relationship with the Saints. Buffett was friends with former head coach Sean Payton. He sang the national anthem before the infamous 2019 NFC championship game, and was so hurt by the game’s decisive no-call that he mocked the whole incident a few months later onstage at Jazz Fest.

The Saints issued a statement on Buffett’s passing, expressing condolences to his family, friends, and sprawling “Parrothead” fanbase: “He was an iconic performer, a true Saints fan, a dear friend of New Orleans, and the life of the party. Jimmy will be dearly missed but celebrated forever.”

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Nelly Korda fires a 66, Jimmy Buffett holds concert, more from CME Group Tour Championship

Nelly Korda has Player of the Year on the line this week, oh, and $1.5 million.

There’s a lot on the line for Nelly Korda this week — LPGA Tour Player of the Year is the big one, other than the chance to win $1.5 million at the CME Group Tour Championship.

But the fact that the tournament is in her home state of Florida — where she won last week — puts at her ease even more than just being familiar with the state’s Bermuda grass.

There’s also comfort in the chaos with her family being around. That helped lead to a 6-under 66 Thursday, leaving her two strokes behind leader Jeongeun Lee6 at Tiburón Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort.

“It’s nice to kind of get distracted with family time, going out to dinner every single night,” she said. “It’s a good kind of distraction and keeping it within the circle I think.”

More CME Group Tour Championship:18 Players to Watch in Naples

Also: CME Group Tour Championship: Naples’ Sophia Popov happy to be in after missing out last year

And: CME Group Tour Championship: Nelly Korda keeps Olympic gold medal in strange place

Landon Bost/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida

And fellow LPGA Tour player Megan Khang, who grew up playing junior golf with Korda, also is in the field this week and is a frequent dining companion.

“We try to do dinner once a week even during tournament weeks, so, I mean — (her sister) Jess as well,” Khang said. “The whole family is an amazing family. I always joke that they’re my tour sisters, stuff like that.”

Other than being friends with Korda, Khang has watched her golf game continue to take off even more so this season, with multiple victories and leading the Race to the CME Globe in addition to being in contention for Player of the Year.

“Nelly is playing incredible this year,” Khang said. “I think from when we were younger we both knew that — like I knew Nelly was always going to be a great golfer and it was going to be very competitive us two.

“It helps that we’re really good friends and she pushes me to be a better golfer, and just kind of push myself and try to compete with her and keep up; really have something to chase after.”

As for her round, Korda said a Tuesday nap helped ease some fatigue after a long week — “that felt great” — that was capped with a playoff win Sunday near Tampa. She hit all 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens. Korda made eight birdies, including three in a row on Nos. 9, 10, and 11, but had pair of bogeys, on Nos. 12 and 15. The 23-year-old closed with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17.

“I think I just struck it really well,” she said. “I gave myself some good looks probably inside 10 feet. Two oopsies with two three-putts, but I think I hit a majority of the greens and gave myself some really good looks.”

Weather forces easier setup

With pins placed in the middle of greens and a couple of tees moved up to try to speed up play and beat incoming weather, Tiburón Golf Club’s Gold Course took a bit of a beating Thursday.

But tour officials put it right there in front of the players to make sure they could finish. And most of them finished with birdies.

Nearly everyone in the 60-player field shot par or better. Only five didn’t.

“Honestly, I feel like the course was just set up pretty easy,” said Jennifer Kupcho, who’s tied for second at 7 under. “I mean, preparing for rain moved a lot of tees up, as well as put the pins right in the middle of the green I feel like, so it was pretty attackable.”

Webb chats with Green

LPGA Tour legend Karrie Webb of Australia was out at the course, and talked with fellow Aussie Hannah Green after her 6-under 66.

“It’s amazing she’s even out here,” Green said. “She said the last time she was watching me play was in 2019 at Hazeltine, so it’s pretty cool to even have her watching me back then, as well.

“It’s great that she’s always supporting us. There’s a few amateur golfers that are here at the moment, and she played golf with them (Wednesday), so she’s always giving back. She probably doesn’t realize how much of a big deal it is to those players and myself. I have to say thank you to her.”

Buffett performs concert

Jimmy Buffett played an invite-only concert with all proceeds going to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital after the CME Group Tour Championship Pro-Am at Tiburon Golf Club on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021.

No word if cheeseburgers were served in Paradise Coast, the local tourism department’s marketing name for Southwest Florida, but Jimmy Buffett did serve a select audience with a concert Wednesday night between Tiburón Golf Club and the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort on a huge stage.

Cheeseburger in Paradise was the name of the 74-year-old “Margaritaville” singer’s restaurant chain.

Concert-goers were invite-only through tournament sponsor CME Group. All money raised went to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Greg Hardwig is a sports reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter: @NDN_Ghardwig, email him at ghardwig@naplesnews.com. Support local journalism with this special subscription offer at https://cm.naplesnews.com/specialoffer/

Report: Saints bye week to coincide with 2021 Jazz Fest

The New Orleans Saints are expected to receive a Week 6 bye, which coincides with the 2021 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

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Let’s get it dudes. The Athletic’s Jeff Duncan reports that the NFL threw a bone to the Saints — and the city of New Orleans — by giving the black and gold their week off during Week 6. That happens to line up with the second weekend of the annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which is scheduled to run from Oct. 8 to Oct. 17.

Normally a spring festival, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the 2020 Jazz Fest to be canceled altogether, while the 2021 event has moved to the fall. So it’s good to see that Saints fans won’t miss any of the action while taking in the sights and sounds at Churchill Downs.

Organizers have yet to announce the 2021 Jazz Fest lineup, but the 2020 headliners were going to feature The Who, Foo Fighters, Stevie Nicks, and Lizzo. The 2019 event was headlined by The Rolling Stones, Katy Perry, Dave Matthews Band, Chris Stapleton, and Jimmy Buffet. Buffett, an ardent Saints fan, let off some steam by lampooning the NFL’s officiating gaffe in the 2018 NFC title game. We’ll see if any more crossover material emerges in the fall.

As for the Saints’ perspective: a Week 6 bye during an 18-week season isn’t great. New Orleans will play five games and go into the break with a dozen matchups ahead of them, with just the top-seeded playoff team receiving another bye week. It’s going to be a war of attrition if the Saints hope to win a fifth consecutive NFC South title, but that’s often been the case.

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These 25 celebrities are Saints fans

The New Orleans Saints have a colorful fanbase, with plenty of celebrity power: Brad Pitt, John Goodman, and Anthony Mackie among them.

The Who Dat Nation is a big-tent fandom, with no shortage of famous supporters. From actors and athletes to politicians and musicians, celebrity Saints fans come from all walks of life — and quite a few of them hail from New Orleans and the communities surrounding it around the Gulf South. Like all fans, their following might be more casual or committed from one to the next, but they’re all fond of the black and gold. Here’s a list of 25 of the Saints’ most famous fans, ordered alphabetically by their last names:

Auburn fans recall their favorite concerts held at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum

Beard-Eaves has seen some major acts come through over the years.

Beard Eaves Memorial Coliseum opened up on January 11, 1969 with a historic win over an LSU team led by Pistol Pete Maravich.

It also survived 45 years of concerts, many of them turning into cherished memories for Auburn fans everywhere. In its early days the Coliseum saw acts like Elvis Presley and The Rolling Stones. The Coliseum went out rocking with Dierks Bentley and Rascall Flatts back in 2014.

Before we begin reminiscing its important to note that I was not able to obtain the dates for each of these artists. If your favorite artist is mentioned without a year please feel free to give us a shout-out!

Concert years verified by setlist.fm

1960s:

1969: The Rolling Stones and Chuck Berry (not a bad way to “start it up” sorry I just had to get that one pun in)

Side story: My dad said that The Rolling Stones shouldn’t even be in contention for one of his favorite concerts. They were nearly 3 hours late much to the dismay of everyone in attendance BUT when they showed up they brought the house down.

1970s:

1970: Neil Diamond

1971: Chicago

1971: The Carpenters

1971: Ike and Tina Turner

1972: The Allman Brothers Band

1972: Isaac Hayes

1972: Rod Stewart

1973: George Carlin

1973: Elton John

1974: Elvis Presley

1975: Chicago

1976: James Taylor

1976: Andre Crouch

1976: Bruce Springsteen

1976: The Commodores

1977: Neil Diamond

1980s: 

1980: The Eagles

1980: Charlie Daniels

1981: Hall and Oates

1982: James Taylor

1983: Joan Jett

1984: Stray Cats

1985: Whitney Houston

1985: Tina Turner

1986: Jimmy Buffett

1987: REM

1987: Indigo Girls

1987: Huey Lewis and the News

1987: Whitney Houston

*sometime in the 80s but we can’t quite place them: 

Dan Fogelberg

Pat Benatar

Lewis Grizzard

1990s:

1990: Jimmy Buffett

1992: Lenny Kravitz

1992: The Cult

1993: Winona Judd

1993: Clint Black

1994: Widespread Panic

1994: Dave Matthews Band

1994: Alan Jackson

1995: The Allman Brothers Band

1995: Widespread Panic

1995: Blues Traveler

1996: Widespread Panic

1996 or 1997: Willie Nelson

1997: Indigo Girls

1998: Third Eye Blind

1998: Eve 6

*definitely early 90s but we can’t quite place these guys either:

Edwin McCain

Hootie and the Blowfish

2000s:

2000: Live

2000: 311

2000: Sister Hazel

2008: O.A.R.

2008: Akon

2010: Skillet

2010: The Rocket Summer

2010: Goo Goo Dolls

*If you saw any of these acts and can give us a year please do so, the undated concerts:

Stan and Eddie

Phish

Drivin N Cryin

Brooks and Dunn

Jeff Foxworthy

Garth Brooks

Alabama

I was never able to attend a concert at the Coliseum, but all of this reminiscing makes me wish I could have. Oh to be a fly on the wall for some of these concerts.

Is your favorite concert missing? Feel free to reach out to us on Facebook on Twitter!