Mobile residents wore Hawaiian shirts and ballcaps with shark fins and parrots to remember the port city’s favorite son. Singer and songwriter Jimmy Buffett went to elementary school and high school in Alabama’s port city. His death from skin cancer hit local fans hard. APR begins this remembrance at a time when Buffett remember his home town at perhaps its darkest time…
Jimmy Buffett left Mobile more than 50 years ago, but the Alabama Gulf Coast never completely released its hold on one of its best-known native sons. In the wake of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill that devastated the coastal economy, Buffett performed a free concert on the Gulf Shores beach for local residents.
Buffett was a pilot and aircraft enthusiast. After he died, Mobilians learned that he had anonymously donated two of the vintage airplanes on display at the USS Alabama park.
Like Mardi Gras and jubilees, Buffett was a Mobile original.
“I was lobbying to put Jimmy's statue where Admiral Semmes used to be. That's what I think needs to happen. I'm sure you'll see some murals downtown at some point for Jimmy,” said Harvie Jordan.
We’ll get back to him.
For the moment, Mobile planned more immediate recognition. When the world lost Jimmy Buffett on September first, some in the Port City reacted by following the advice of another native son, Eugene Walter. When all else fails, throw a party.
And, this being Mobile, toss in a parade, a funeral procession filled with bright Hawaiian shirts, grass skirts, hats topped with shark fins and parrots and a lot of people sipping margaritas, beers and boat drinks.
At around 4 o’clock on a Sunday afternoon, a brass band led the crowd of hundreds in a New Orleans second line parade through downtown. Nobody counted participants, but the procession of musicians, strollers, golf carts and bicycles stretched more than six blocks.
Jenni and Michael Zimlich rode in a golf cart decorated with a life size statue of a manatee on the back. Michael wore a red Hawaiian shirt. Jenni wore a grass skirt. They say they had to be here.
“Just to celebrate Jimmy Buffett and the free spirited life that he lived and the fact that we walked down the aisle to Jimmy Buffett bluegrass,” said Michael.
"A Pirate Looks At 40," said Jenni Zimlich, recalling the title of one of Jimmy Buffett’s books. And Michael says the singer’s cultural impact on this family goes beyond that…
“We named our daughter Delaney after "Delaney Talks to Statues," so a pretty good lifestyle to live,” said Michael in reference to another Buffett classic song.
Michael says his father and Jimmy were students together at what was then McGill Institute, Mobile’s Catholic boys’ high school.
“My dad was playing football when he was a cheerleader at McGill,” he recalled.
Later, they listened to him play some of his first performances at another downtown bar a few blocks from the parade site.
“We'd go and hear him at The Admiral's Corner,” said Jenni.
“When they got back out of the Navy, they would go hear him at the Admiral Semmes, at the Admiral's Corner,” said Michael.
“I just wanted to come out and hang out with everybody for a Jimmy Buffett,” said Mark McConnell, who wore a t-shirt with the slogan “Redneck Riviera Parrothead Club.” It’s a combination of the nickname Buffett fans give themselves. The Alabama Gulf Coast is also known as the Redneck Riviera.
McConnell is from Missouri, but he happened to be on the Gulf Coast when he heard about the Buffett celebration.
“I'm staying over in Gulf Shores and just happened to be here when this all happened. So, glad to be a part of it,” he said.
McConnell says fans are sorry Buffett is gone, but his memory will go on.
“Just a sad time and we've all got to go along sooner or later I guess, but he left a lot of good music for us to enjoy in his wake,” he said.
“I woke up Saturday morning to some bad news and wanted to make the best of a bad situation and felt like that was something Buffett would do,” said Joseph Brennan, one of the organizers of the celebration. He says Mobile needed an appropriate sendoff for a man many here consider one of their own.
“I grew up in Mobile. I'm very familiar with second lines and parades and celebrating that way,” said Brennan, who made a few phone calls after learning of Buffett’s death.
“I grew up with, went to high school with Blow House Brass Band. I started by texting them. Said 'hey can we get some buddies together and throw what Mobile does best? Get on the street and dance. They said 'yeah.,’” he recalled.
The idea started out for a small event. This being Mobile, the celebration grew.
“Basically, one thing led to another,” Brennan said. “People came out and said I want to help and what started out as just a few friends, Gulf Coast friends who love Buffett turned into what you're looking at right now, which is, I don't know, I'm bad at counting crowds, but we could be looking at 500 people. So, it's a great day.”
Much of the music before the parade came from a group of musicians who showed up, set up and began performing. Brennan not only had no idea who they were, he wasn’t expecting anyone.
“I just met them for the first time today and again, this is a testament to how this has just come together,” said Brennan. “I didn't even know they were going to play. When I came up to the mike, I was saying who are you? I'm not saying go away. I'm saying I would like to meet you.”
The musicians had been in the cast of Mobile’s production of “Escape to Margaritaville.” The musical is based on Buffett’s music. The Joe Jefferson Players theater group put on the play.
“The cast, the group that did "Escape to Margaritaville," last year stays in touch, so we were like hey we need to do this,” said Harvie Jordan was one of the cast members performing for the crowd. You heard from him earlier.
“The music community here is very fluid, and people were like 'hey we're going to sing. Come up here and sing backup, take a verse/ Sing the lead, whatever you need to do.
Jimmy Buffett for so many years touched so many people's lives with his beautiful simple poetry about living the beach life and letting your troubles wash away and it resonates with so many people. They love him.
Buffett left Mobile more than 50 years ago, but for Mobilians, he’s still part of the city. Again, Joseph Brennan.
“Jimmy, he went to elementary school here. He went to high school here. This is part of his formative years. Here in Mobile, we get in the street and we celebrate and I think it's a beautiful thing. I think it's full circle,” he said.
