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I just miss Jimmy Buffett. It’s been more than 1/2 a year since he left us, but I miss him every day. Some days I can watch a video or hear a song and trick myself into thinking he is still here, but he’s not. I saw him live over 100 times, first in 1980 at Merriweather Post, lastly in 2011 in Paris. In between I saw him in Florida, Charleston, Jones Beach, Manhattan, North Carolina and a zillion other places. I saw him before I was able to drive. Over 100 times, and it was not nearly enough.
I live in London currently, and Radio Margaritaville makes it easier, but I wonder how I will fill the void that this summer is sure to bring. Anybody have similar thoughts? Any ideas how to celebrate the force of life that was Jimmy Buffett?

Late response to your post, but I know what you mean

I first saw Jimmy live in '75 or '76 when I was in college and have been die-hard fan since. When I watch the vids and shows the CRB and others do, I just don't know how they do it. I'm glad they are keeping it going, I really am. But sometimes I struggle just watching. I'm still torn between missing him, and anger that he's gone. Crazy to miss someone so much that I never met.

Oh and by the way...I also saw Jimmy at Merriweather in Columbia, MD. I think it was July of '77, and if my aging memory is correct, I think I paid around $6 a ticket

TravisMcGeeBahiaMar wrote: April 15, 2024 5:07 am I just miss Jimmy Buffett. It’s been more than 1/2 a year since he left us, but I miss him every day. Some days I can watch a video or hear a song and trick myself into thinking he is still here, but he’s not. I saw him live over 100 times, first in 1980 at Merriweather Post, lastly in 2011 in Paris. In between I saw him in Florida, Charleston, Jones Beach, Manhattan, North Carolina and a zillion other places. I saw him before I was able to drive. Over 100 times, and it was not nearly enough.
I live in London currently, and Radio Margaritaville makes it easier, but I wonder how I will fill the void that this summer is sure to bring. Anybody have similar thoughts? Any ideas how to celebrate the force of life that was Jimmy Buffett?

We all miss him.

That is why we have this place. So we can still grieve.

I find myself listening to songs that I often skipped over. The other day I heard Whoop de Doo. I barely even knew the words. And now I have "A Pirate Looks at Fifty" on my bedside table. I am reading a few pages each morning and sometimes underline certain sentences.

I read that Savannah said during the Jazz Fest Tribute that she believed he lived to be 100 and just did it it in 3/4 time. I wish I could tell her how perfect that statement is.

I’ve been meaning to post this (or something along these lines) for awhile now, but now that it’s getting warmer and I’m listening to more and more JB these days, maybe it is time.

My ESOAP CD and Vinyl sit in a corner of my office with their shrink-wrap still very much in tact. Each time Bubbles Up or any other song from the album come on RM I change the channel. I want to listen, but there is something deep down that gives me that sad feeling in my throat knowing Jimmy knew this would be his last album and there are messages and tributes to his fans contained within.

The few pictures and media I saw of him from 2023 made it clear he was battling something, likely cancer, as my father dealt with (and beat) a different cancer two years prior with a similar change in appearance and weight loss. Therefore, I had a strong hope JB would pull through and my wife and I would be able to take our 6 year old ‘keet to JB at Great Woods in 2024 as she knows the lyrics to OPH, Fins, and Margaritaville well.

Anyway, I feel like I’m ready to listen to each album from Down to Earth to ESOAP very carefully and slowly over the coming weeks and months, with many re-listens of live shows in between (thanks SL!) and hopefully that will be the therapy I need to come to terms with where we all are now. But, I’m not one for the ripping off the band aid method, but maybe I should?!

I guess it just goes to show how much of an influence JB has had on me or how deep the fandom runs. I’d imagine many BNers have dealt with Jimmy’s passing in many different ways, and that’s totally okay. Fins up everybody and I hope we can all raise many glasses to Jimmy while continuing to listen to our favorite songs this summer.

It’s been hard. Harder than I ever thought it would for someone i never “knew” and only met once. (Randomly in a hotel elevator at the Columbia Inn in Maryland after a show at Meriweather Post Pavillion) My Buffett friends and I don’t think we are being irrational in our grief. Jimmy Buffett was the reason for some of the friendships. In a pre-cell phone world, we knew we would see each other at Buffett shows. It may have been the only time we would see these friends. Anyway, I miss the guy and I hope I always will.

SharkysMV1 wrote: May 10, 2024 10:07 pm
My ESOAP CD and Vinyl sit in a corner of my office with their shrink-wrap still very much in tact. Each time Bubbles Up or any other song from the album come on RM I change the channel. I want to listen, but there is something deep down that gives me that sad feeling in my throat knowing Jimmy knew this would be his last album and there are messages and tributes to his fans contained within.

Similar. Whenever the 2023 KW shows are played on RM or clips of his surprise appearance at Mac's show last summer are shown, I change the channel/click on something else.

Too sad and not how I choose to remember one of my inspirations and heroes.

I understand. As much as I wanted to go to the shows this past weekend, I just couldn’t. I would have loved to see all my friends that went and even thought about getting tickets, I couldn’t. Still hurts I think.

keep coming back to BN....we're all family .

aeroparrot wrote: August 5, 2024 9:00 pm I understand. As much as I wanted to go to the shows this past weekend, I just couldn’t. I would have loved to see all my friends that went and even thought about getting tickets, I couldn’t. Still hurts I think.

Same! Just not there yet & not certain I ever will be.

Saltx3 wrote: August 6, 2024 8:33 am keep coming back to BN....we're all family .

Thanks! We are family.

It hit me today. I broke down and bawled. I am looking at my Fruicakes, Livin’ and Dyin’, and OPH colored vinyl, and I was about to open them up and clean them for their first play. And it just broke inside me.

I mourn a man I didn’t know, but yet knew so well. He was a part of my life from 16 years old in 1988 to when he died. He’s still a part of my life as his music and stories fill and make my storyline. I went to twenty shows and took my daughter to 5. I have unused paper tickets from 2020 at the CWMP that I’ll keep forever.

Playing those records will make me feel better. I know it’s a little odd for someone who isn’t a Parrothead like we are to understand. I went to the beach yesterday and swam in the Gulf. The same one he swam in as a child, a teenager, an adult and as an old man. It’s the same one I’ll swim in my entire life. Why is it so hard?

This board is a family. We breathe in, breathe out, and move on together.

Bucarader wrote: August 18, 2024 3:14 pm This board is a family. We breathe in, breathe out, and move on together.

So very well put.