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The New Zealand Herald has an interview with Jimmy Buffett: “The Key of Sea”

Maritime troubadour Jimmy Buffett is dropping anchor in the city of sails next weekend. He talks to Graham Reid.

When tickets for Buffett’s Australian concerts went on sale before Christmas, the promoter Michael Chugg said they immediately had monied people from Dubai, Singapore and all around Australia wanting to block-buy. He enjoyed telling the West Australian head of a multinational, “no”, he couldn’t get any tickets, they were all sold out.

“But I don’t see myself doing much different than I did 40 years ago. Things kinda worked out, you know?” laughs Buffett, a man who laughs a lot.

“As musicians you’re kinda schooled in not doing business because somebody else took care of it, because the business wasn’t about the artist making money or having longevity. We were the disposable commodity.

“But like it or not, if you are captain of the boat you better know where the navigator is going. I’ve done nothing but run things like a ship anyway because that’s the only thing I know anything about. So that’s the way we run this business. There are certain times to play and certain times you need to have your eye on the compass.”

“When times are kind of hard and money is tight [people] want to spend it wisely and they know we’re a pretty good bet. They know they are going to get the best bang for their buck and a good show and that comes from years of having done it, being easy to work with, having a great band and crew, and,” he laughs, “generally doing what entertainers are supposed to do – which is make people feel happy when they take their money.

“We’re still at the top of our game and I just turned 64 … so I don’t see any career change at this point.”

From the Radio Margaritaville Facebook page: Crikey Mates! While Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band are working and playing ‘Down Under’, we’ll be replaying the concerts throughout the week on (Radio Margaritaville, Sirius 31, XM 55)!!!

It all starts Tuesday night at 8pm Eastern (GMT -4), with the Opera House show from Monday!

COMPLETE SCHEDULE (all times Eastern):
Tuesday 1/25 8pm–Sydney Opera House, Sydney (from 1/23/11)
Wednesday 1/26 8pm—Sydney Opera House, Sydney (from 1/24/11)
Thursday 1/27 10am—Sydney Opera House, Sydney (from 1/23/11)
Friday 1/28 12:01am—Sydney Opera House, Sydney (from 1/24/11)
Friday 1/28 8pm—Horden Pavilion, Sydney (from 1/26/11)
Saturday 1/29 6pm—Horden Pavilion, Sydney (from 1/26/11)
Sunday 1/30 6pm—Sydney Opera House, Sydney (from 1/23/11)

From Nola.com: Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band are scheduled to play the New Orleans Jazz Festival on Saturday May 7th. Tickets go on sale on Thursday January 20th at 10:00 AM at TicketMaster.

Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band recorded the song “All Night Long” with Lionel Richie that will appear on a duets album due out this summer.

From CMT: “Lionel Richie’s Country Duets Album Nearing Completion”

Producer Tony Brown says he’s almost completed recording Lionel Richie’s album of duets with country artists. So far done are “Stuck on You” (with Darius Rucker), “Sail On” (Tim McGraw), “Lady” (Kenny Rogers), “Easy” (Willie Nelson), “Deep River Woman” (Little Big Town), “You Are” (Blake Shelton) and “All Night Long” (Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band). Still to do are recordings with Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland and the Zac Brown Band. “We’re having a blast,” Brown tells CMT.com. “Lionel is the coolest fun guy, and he’s blown away by the musicians here.” Brown estimates the album will be out this summer.

From the Sprint Center website: Kansas City, the wait is over. Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band will perform at SPRINT CENTER for one night only on SATURDAY, APRIL 30 at 8pm, as part of Jimmy Buffett’s “WELCOME TO FIN LAND” Tour 2011.

Brenda Tinnen, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Sprint Center said, “Kansas City is thrilled to welcome Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band back for the first time since 1997’s Banana Wind Tour. It’s the must-see concert of the summer!”

Tickets for Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band will go on sale Monday, Jan. 24 at 10 AM

From STLToday.com: Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band is performing at 8 p.m. May 3 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday January 24th. There is an eight-ticket limit per customer. LiveNation ticket information.

The Daily Telegraph has an interview with Jimmy Buffett on the upcoming Australian tour: “Summer Sounds”

He credits his experience as a boat captain for his business acumen. “I have a little bit of organisational skill that comes from running a boat. If you’re on an ocean voyage, there are good times but there is also a system that has to be in place to work properly,” Buffett says.

“Keeping the work and play ratio balanced is a big thing for me. I just turned 64 — who thought we’d still be doing it — and you may have noticed that we are coming down there for three shows but I’m staying for 10 days, so I’ll be in the water a lot.”

Surfing in St Barts with a couple of Aussie mates over Christmas alerted him to the desperate demand for tickets to his shows here. The first two concerts at the Sydney Opera House sold out quickly and a third at the Hordern Pavilion has been added to satisfy disappointed fans.

“Yeah, I heard there were some people who weren’t happy about missing out on tickets while I was on a surf break in the Caribbean. That’s what I call a board meeting,” he says.

According to the Houston Parrothead Club Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band will play the Cynthia Woods Pavilion in Houston TX on Thursday May 5th (thanks to springparrot for passing that along)

From Margaritaville.com:

04.19.2011 – Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion – Raleigh, NC
Tickets go on sale on Jan. 22nd

04.21.2011 – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre – Charlotte, NC
Tickets go on sale on Jan. 22nd

From a post on the Kansas City Parrothead Club Facebook page:
We have got the most amazing news! Pirates of the Prairie officially announces and welcomes Jimmy Buffett to Kansas City at the Sprint Center on Saturday, April 30th!

From the Sun Herald: “Margaritaville Casino on its way again”

By the end of the year Margaritaville Casino and Restaurant should be open on the Back Bay in Biloxi.

Plans and drawings for the casino resort were presented today during the Biloxi Development Review Committee meeting.

Atop the three-story building is the singer/songwriter’s trademark sign: “Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville.”

The developers hope to break ground by March 1 and finish construction of the first phase in about 9 months. He said the initial phase will be approximately $48 million and include a casino, restaurants, shops, events center and a marina,

Buffett originally partnered with Harrah’s Casino for a casino on the beach connected to the former Casino Magic. That resort was scheduled to open in 2010 before Harrah’s stopped construction of the project.

Buffett now is working with Coast casino veteran Tom Brosig and other investors to build Margaritaville Casino at the old East Harrison County Industrial Park on 5th Street.

Jimmy Buffett will be playing a single, exclusive New Zealand on January 29th. The venue is Te Wero Island at Viaduct Harbour in Auckland. Pre-sale is available through Eventfinder: $131.50 is available Jan 17th, 2011 9:00 AM. More information is available on the Eventfinder.