Jimmy Buffett, an American singer & song writer, businessman and author, passed away on 1 September 2023 at the age of 76. He was popularly known for his tropical rock music which often portrays a lifestyle as "island escapism". His early song, Come Monday, was a popular tune but his breakthrough song was "Margaritaville" released in 1977. This was followed up with other hit tunes like Fins, Volcano & Cheeseburger in Paradise etc with his band, the Coral Reefer Band. In particular, Margaritaville was included in the Songs of the Century by the Recording Industry Association of America. He released more songs in later years including the duet with Alan Jackson in the song "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" which won the 2003 Country Music Association Award for Vocal Event of the Year.

I first heard the song Margaritaville a number of years back when Shane from Blackhill Ramblers would regularly play the song in his gigs at Ferntree Gully Hotel and Monash Hotel. I love the song the first time I heard it. It was fitting that the very popular Straight 8's which is also Melbourne's longest running rockabilly band played the song in a tribute to Jimmy Buffett at Pockets in Moorabbin last Sunday night.