Jimmy Buffett in later years sailing. Courtesy, JimmyBuffett.com
Governor DeSantis signed bills late last month honoring singer Jimmy Buffet by making Route A1A his memorial highway from the Keys on up to the Georgia Line and offering Margaritaville specialty license plates. Buffett’s passing last year from skin cancer was a shock to Floridians and Americans at large − he was a beacon of the island lifestyle and the carefree attitude that many have come to associate with Florida’s sand and sun. His music, lyrics, restaurants, and wider cultural impact have shaped beach living and become synonymous with the Florida Keys in particular.
“With this road naming,” said Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, who sponsored the Senate bill, “we are paying tribute to Jimmy not only as a musical icon, but also a fierce protector of Florida’s natural treasures and our precious manatees.” Buffett has long been associated with the Save the Manatee license plate, a popular Florida plate whose sale benefits the Save the Manatee Club, which Buffett helped establish with late Florida Governor Bob Graham. Buffett’s new Margaritaville plate is named after his highest-charting song from his 1977 album “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” and proceeds will help the Singing for Change Charitable foundation, founded by Buffett.
Jimmy Buffett’s generosity and kindness underscored his life and music. His songs speak to carefree existence, throwing caution to the wind, and tasting the salt in the breeze – but his actions show an unwavering sense of community and love for wild Florida. Buffett was a trailblazer in music, business, and lifestyle, and his Margaritaville while “once only a state of mind, is now a state of being” for anyone taking a drive down Florida’s coast.
See you on the trail,
Lisa
LMA Newsletter of 7-8-24
