Jimmy Buffett might not have exactly been considered country music, but he definitely left an impact on the genre nonetheless.
So much so that the CMA Awards will honor the late, great tropical artist at next week’s award show in Nashville, Tennessee, just a little over two months after Buffett passed away at the age of 76.
The talented artist, and “Mayor of Margaritaville,” died after a battle with skin cancer. Not many knew that the “Son of a Sailor” singer had been dealing with the disease, and it was not initially disclosed when the announcement of his death was shared on his social media accounts:
“Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st, surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs.
He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”
You would be hard pressed to find another singer-songwriter that did it their way, and transformed their music into a lifestyle that many “Parrot Heads” happily became a part of.
That’s why the news hit so hard with so many fans and artists alike, and why it only makes sense that the CMA Awards would carve some time out of its show to honor Jimmy Buffett.
Over the years, Buffett collaborated with a number of country artists, most notably when Jimmy and Alan Jackson joined forces to record the hit song “It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere” in 2003.
And in a full circle moment, some of those country artists that Buffett worked with during his illustrious and margarita-filled career will take center stage at the CMA’s to honor their beloved friend.
“A Tribute To Jimmy Buffett” will take place during November 8th’s CMA Awards, with Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Zac Brown Band, and Mac McAnally (who had performed on stage with Buffett since the 1990’s).
Many of the artists who will be a part of it have taken to their social media to announce the special moment, including Alan Jackson:
The CMA Awards will certainly meet the moment with the performance, which is sure to tug at the heartstrings of those who have ever enjoyed the wonderful escapism that Buffett’s entire musical catalogue provided.
And Buffett always sounded great when he dipped more into the country genre, as shown in this star-studded cover of Hank Williams’ “Hey Good Lookin'” featuring Buffett, Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and George Strait all singing along to the classic country song.
Take a listen:
