After the death of Jimmy Buffett was announced Saturday morning (September 2), many of music’s most notable names chimed in to honor the fallen star. Whether it was Kenny Chesney, Elton John, Blake Shelton, or LL Cool J, they all seemed to be touched by not only his tropical-themed hits but also his kindness and wholesomeness.
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On Saturday afternoon, Beatles icon Paul McCartney joined in on the collective mourning, sharing his lovely experiences with Buffett and his thoughts on Buffett as a man. Posting a lengthy message to Twitter, McCartney acknowledged how Buffett was the latest of many recent passings in the music industry.
“It seems that so many wonderful people are leaving this world, and now Jimmy Buffett is one of them,” he started. “I’ve known Jimmy for some time and found him to be one of the kindest and most generous people.”
Next, the 81-year-old shared an anecdote about how Buffett went out of his way to assure McCartney had the left-handed guitar he needed when he was simply just “itching to play.” To this day, McCartney still uses the guitar, as it awakens fond memories of Buffett’s generosity.
“He had a most amazing lust for life and a beautiful sense of humour,” he added. “When we swapped tales about the past his were so exotic and lush and involved sailing trips and surfing and so many exciting stories that it was hard for me to keep up with him.”
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Ultimately, McCartney felt that Buffett truly enjoyed everything life had to offer, calling him a “tremendous personality” who had a deep love “for us all, and for mankind as a whole.”
“Right up to the last minute his eyes still twinkled with a humour that said, ‘I love this world and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it,’” McCartney wrote.
On top of all of this, McCartney revealed that he and Buffett have a song coming soon titled “My Gummy Just Kicked In,” yet to be given an official release date. Recalling his studio sessions with the now-late musician, McCartney finished by saying, “It was a great privilege to get to know you and love you.”
“Last, but not least, is his songwriting and vocal ability,” he said. “If someone made an interesting remark he repeated it in his gorgeous Louisiana drawl and said, ‘That’s a good idea for a song.’ Most times it didn’t take too long for that song to appear. I was very happy to have played on one of his latest songs called ‘My Gummy Just Kicked In.’ We had a real fun session and he played me some of his new songs. One, in particular, I loved was the song, ‘Bubbles Up.’ And I told him that not only was the song great but the vocal was probably the best I’ve heard him sing ever. He turned a diving phrase that is used to train people underwater into a metaphor for life when you’re confused and don’t know where you are just follow the bubbles — they’ll take you up to the surface and straighten you out right away… So long, Jim. You are a very special man and friend and it was a great privilege to get to know you and love you. Bubbles up, my friend.”
Check out McCartney’s post below.
(Photo Credit: MJ Kim / Courtesy Nasty Little Man)
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