Last night (April 11), Keep the Party Going: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett brought a laundry list of big names to the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles to honor the late singer/songwriter. The night’s list of performers included Zac Brown, Paul McCartney, Eagles, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Jon Bon Jovi, and many more. Additionally, celebrities outside of the music world including Woody Harrelson and Harrison Ford attended the event. To end the night, everyone took the stage to sing Buffett’s iconic “Margaritaville.”
Videos by American Songwriter
More than a tribute concert, the event showed the unifying power of Buffett’s charismatic personality. These weren’t just artists and celebrities who enjoyed his work. Instead, this eclectic group of performers and actors all called Buffett their friend. So, it was with that spirit that they took the stage to honor him by sharing his signature song.
Everyone was on the stage to sing their hearts out in honor of Buffett. However, one man was a little more prepared than anyone else. The video below shows that McCartney was the only one on the stage holding a margarita. It wasn’t just a prop, either. The former Beatle takes several healthy pulls from his cup between verses. By the time he left the stage, he was almost ready for another.
“Margaritaville” The Song That Built an Empire
When he passed away last September, Buffett stood at the helm of a fleet of restaurants and resorts. “Margaritaville” was the flagship of that fleet. The theme, name, and vibe of his recreational properties all came from the hit song.
Buffett wrote “Margaritaville” and released it as a single from his 1977 album Changes In Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes. It saw major chart success. The song peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, topped the publication’s Easy Listening chart, and peaked at No. 13 on the Hot Country Songs chart. The widespread success of the song typifies Buffett’s mass appeal.
It was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2016. Then, last year, the Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the United States National Registry.
Featured Image by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for CMT
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