In an interview with Ken Hoffman from the Houston Chronicle, Jimmy Buffett says he plans on taking a break from touring after this year.
Nearly five decades of relentless touring have Buffett planning a break. “I’m not working as much as I used to work. I turn 70 this year, and I’m going to take some time off and enjoy myself. I have some other projects in mind, though. I’ll be doing things and bringing a camera along to take fans places that aren’t so easy for them to get to,” he said.
Read the full review of the show: “J.J. Watt is everywhere – including onstage at Jimmy Buffett concert”
Jimmy Buffett’s “I Don’t Know” tour – with a surprise guest conga player – barrel-rolled through Houston Saturday night with 17,000 fans packing the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion.
Parrothead fans erupted when Buffett announced, “We have a guest Coral Reefer tonight,” and Texans’ All-Everything lineman J.J. Watt came onstage to play conga drums for Buffett’s biggest hit, “Margaritaville.”
I asked the sun-drenched, Caribbean-rhyming singer how he came up with “I Don’t Know” as the name for this year’s tour.
“We always have a meeting when a tour ends to start planning the next one. ‘OK, now what are we going to do?’ We were joking around, and everybody kept saying, ‘I don’t know.’ It got humorous and we just followed that trail,” he said.
Buffett is letting fans help create the concert set list this year. They can go online and vote for songs they want him to play. The catch: Fans can only request songs that Buffett hasn’t performed live in the past 10 years.
“I’m liking what they’re picking,” Buffett said. “They’re voting for some interesting things. We did ‘Barefoot Children in the Rain’ in Atlanta. I’m still tweaking how to get more of those songs in the show.”
For Houston, Buffett played “In the Shelter,” a song originally recorded in 1971. It’s as far back as Buffett goes.
That leaves 654 more songs on his jukebox according to buffettnews.com, the mind-boggling compendium of Buffett facts and figures.
How does he pick and choose? “I can’t tell you that … that’s part of the mystery,” he said.
“Without rehearsing, we can do 105 songs. That gives me a lot of room to move around and call audibles. I still read crowds to see what would work that night.”
Another twist for this year’s tour: a talking cartoon coconut that kibitzes with Buffett throughout the concert. The voice behind the coconut: Jeff Bridges. How’d that happen?
“I asked him, that’s how,” Buffett said. “We’re old friends. The coconut needed a voice. So I asked Jeff and he said yes. Warren Buffett once told me, ‘Ask for what you want, but be prepared for somebody to say no.’ Well, Jeff didn’t say no.”
Please….leas… Don’t stop touring….my husband is a huge parrot head ….we never miss a concert in Pittsburgh….he wants more than anything to meet JIMMY…he is always doing things for everyone else…especially his family…and I so hope and pray he gets to meet him…it would be the best thing ever for him….we ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ JIMMY BUFFETT….😘😍❤️😀
Lots of us have been die-hard fans for 5 decades and would love to meet him…but the man wants to take a break. “It’s bigger than the both of us”!! Just wish him well, and keep on enjoying the music.
Glad I am doing the Atlantic City Beach show along with Camden this year
My friend got me going t Jimmy’s concerts about five years ago, I love his music. If anyone deserves t meet Jimmy, it would b her. She has followed Jimmy since he started, she has his cds, his books, we have been going to his concerts for last four years in Pittsburgh and we are going this year also. She just turned seventy this year and she always talks about wanting to meet him in person before something happens that she wouldn’t get the chance to. She could probably name every song he ever sang. She decorates her motor home every year really cool to go to his concerts.
I have been going to Jimmy’s concert’s since I was 19 years old. This year I turn 43…I missed only one year. That’s when I was 6 month pregnant with my daughter.
I have tickets once again for this year’s Pittsburgh show. And I am taking my daughter for her first time, she is now ten. She is so very excited to finally go with me.
I knew the time for a break or even retirement would come. Nobody deserves it more than Jimmy. He has been entertaining us crazy Parrot heads for so many years. It is time for him to enjoy his life and family.
I hope it’s not the end, but if it is I wish him smooth sailing all the way.
My family and I have been loyal Parrot heads ever since my oldest son who has Cerebral Palsy did Dolphin Therapy in the Florida Keys! We love you Jimmy. Glad we have tickets for this tour. I really hope it isn’t a forever break☺
I hate that Jimmy isn’t going to tour next year. I have been to 24 shows. He is an amazing entertainer and he can transport me to the tropics on the first note of every song.
I hope he finds the rest and rejuvenation he needs and comes out in 2018 better than ever.
Good luck to you jb my dad loves you he will miss you next year
Happy Jimmy Buffett song tour of the year award!
Taking a break? Good. Maybe he can come up with a better set list if he takes some time off. Give me 2 seconds and I could conjure up something better than the annual garbage on his list. Time to hang em up old man. The Dead you are not.
Thanks a ton! It a astounding web site!.
Terrific site you have right here
Whoa… this is a handy internet site
I’ve been going to Jimmy’s concerts for 25 years! He is my very favorite. I have turned my entire family into die hard parrotheads! But, he’s going to be 70, has a family, and DESERVES whatever time he wants to take off, even if that leads to retirement! I will be hugely sad! His concerts have been my favorite part of summer since I was a teen. But, the man has done us good for so many years! Enjoy Jimmy! Love from Northeast Ohio!