The man who made a fortune singing Margaritaville is thrilling his Key West fanbase — including some who knew him back when he landed here more than 50 years ago — with an extended visit back to the island.
Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band will launch their Second Wind tour in Key West on Thursday, Feb. 9 and Saturday, Feb. 11 at the city's amphitheater. But the band played two surprise shows downtown on Saturday and Monday.
The arena star certainly built his multi-million-dollar brand out of Key West lore — hangovers and flip flops included. But aside from popup and private shows, Buffett, 76, rarely plays here. In 2011, he did a Duval Street show that drew a mass of fans.
In the intimate show Saturday night at the Key West Theater, Buffett treated the crowd of largely locals to an emotional retelling of his Key West story. He was a "nobody from nowhere," when he arrived in 1971.
The Key West he once knew was a dusty old funky beach town . It was long before the city pivoted to tourism, which today is its economic engine.
Buffett's story is one shared by many here: wash up at the end of the road without a plan or money, and wind out building a new life.
Even without the shared millions, Key West transplants like Buffett know the feeling of landing at Mile Marker 0 while on a losing streak and finding a safe haven from the mainland.
For the first act, he and his band played his first Key West-inspired record, A White Sport Coat And A Pink Crustacean, from 1973. Buffett saved the party anthems — Fins, Volcano, and yes, Margaritaville— which he wrote while stuck in traffic on the Seven Mile Bridge , for the second act.
"These days I'm up about the time I used to go to bed," Buffett said, recalling the old days when the Full Moon Saloon in Key West, the Conch Flyer bar at the airport and the Boca Chica Bar on Stock Island were considered a real pub crawl by long- time residents.
"It was like Columbus crossing the ocean, that's what we used to refer to it as," Buffett said, as a crowd laughed at the old saw about the chore of leaving Key West p roper.
Buffett's media team declined an interview with WLR N, but locals have seen the star around town lately — riding his bike along Simonton Street and stopping in a Stock Island restaurant for a hogfish sandwich.
He name checked Key West legends, starting with Coffee Butler, who let a young Buffett open for him at local bars, and he dedicated the show to his friend Tom Corcoran the Florida writer who died in January.
As Buffett strummed the opening of his tribute to the sea, A Pirate Looks at 40, on Saturday night, he had a moment.
"It's so cool singing this song in Key West," Buffett said off the cuff and without missing a note, to cheers. He released the song in 1974.
On Thursday, Buffett will make his debut at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater at the Truman Waterfront Park.
H e had added the Fe b . 4 and 6 Key West Theater shows, after locals fumed over Ticketmaster 's policies and and pricing. Tickets were $99 plus some fees.
For these surprise shows Buffett's team went old-school: People had to line up outside the Eaton Street theater until tickets went on sale at noon. Two per person, with ID required .
The ticket line, which started for a few fans before sunrise Feb. 3, lined a block between Eaton and Fleming streets. And, in Key West style, it turned into an impromptu street party.
Orderly and cheerful, fans chatted and caught up under a bright sun. Some had chairs and snacks to share, including rum cake, hand delivered from another local who runs a rum distillery.
Those whose luck ran out at the box office window weren't happy, but they were reminded over the hours by the promoter's staff they were risking walking away empty-handed.
Those who scored were also applauded by their pals.
"This is why people come to Key West now," said Sally Crane, a local who showed up at 6:30 a.m. Feb. 3 to stand in line and succeeded. "They just want to hang out, have fun with their friends. Kind of live this island lifestyle and that's what Jimmy Buffett represents."
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