smiller wrote:I can't think of a single artist I listen to now, because of Buffett.
Right off the top of my head I can name Tim Krekel and Buzz Cason. Also Tim's son Jason's band Mad Tea Party just because of the connection to Tim. I wouldn't have heard of Evangeline or the Iguanas if not for Margaritaville Records but I've never purchased any of their records. I got into Buffett back in the 70's thanks to an older brother who was also responsible for turning me onto Steve Goodman, John Prine, Jesse Winchester, Jerry Jeff Walker and Michael Murphy but my brother is how I came to those artists, not Buffett. When I first heard Mac McAnally it was totally independent of Buffett via local radio airplay, same thing for Marshall Chapman, John Hiatt, Sonny Landreth, Todd Snider and Bruce Cockburn. I was turned onto Guy Clark, Bob Marley, the Grateful Dead, Leon Russell, the Neville Brothers and Little Feat through my older brothers. Gillian Welch, Will Kimbrough, Nanci Griffith and Mary Gauthier I discovered on my own. I got into Harry Belafonte because of the
Beetlejuice soundtrack. I've never sought out the "Trop Rock" artists because with the very notable exception of Buffett, that type of music has never really struck my fancy. That said, I do love ska, calypso, reggae, mento, etc. but my interest in those various forms of island music came about through my love of reggae, not Buffett. When I was in radio, I once picked up a Jim Dickinson record called
Dixie Fried simply because Michael Utley played on it. For those unfamiliar with Jim, he produced records by everyone from Elvis Presley to the Replacements. His sons Cody and Luther are founding members of the North Mississippi Allstars. During my radio days I also stumbled upon Josh Leo's
Rockin' On 6th album but I haven't listened to it in years. I first heard of Keith Sykes though Jerry Jeff Walker's cover of "I'm Not Strange". As far as musicians Buffett has mentioned in his songs, I still need to pick up some stuff by "Frogman" Henry and Irma Thomas. I also have Zachary Richard somewhere but I haven't listened to that record in eons. I've heard of Allen Toussaint for years but still need to round out my collection with some of his stuff.