Jimmy Buffett’s Lyrics Inspire Me

Inspiration comes to us in many forms. It can be a 30-second spot on the TV news or an article we read, a casual comment directed to us or one we overhear, sometimes a line of dialog in a movie or even musical lyrics.

Put another way, “Sometimes you get shown the light in the strangest places if you look at it right¹,” one lyric goes.

Regardless of how we are inspired, we become energized to do something, hopefully something that benefits causes other than our own.

One person who still inspires me is a singer-songwriter, author, performer and businessman. He is less known, but still and inspiration for his humanitarian efforts: Jimmy Buffett, whose lyrics are quoted above.

Buffett’s charity work² includes:

· Co-founding the Save the Manatee Club, which generates money to save the endangered Florida species through special license plates.

· Initial funding (1995) for the Singing for Change foundation that helps children and family causes, the disenfranchised and environmental groups.

· A hurricane relief concert (2004) to help victims.

· A 2008 benefit for the Foreign Correspondent’s Club Charity Fund.

· A 2010 concert in Gulf Shores, Ala. To bring visitors back to the area following the Gulf oil disaster.

During my 10 years as a newspaper reporter and editor, I was able to interview many people. Some of their stories inspired me. A few inspired others.

Buffett is one of the many people I’d like to interview. If given the opportunity, though, I’d like to ask him these questions:

· What and who inspires him?

· Why does he continue to perform sold-out concerts every year?

· Why does he continue to help protect endangered species such as manatees and give back to the people of the Gulf Coast?

· Who are the most influential people in his life outside of family? (“Son Of A Son Of A Sailor” is a memorial to his grandfather while other songs—“Savannah Fare You Well” being one—honor other family members.)

· If he could ask his legion of fans known as Parrotheads to do one thing honoring him, what would it be?

In the meantime, I’m going to continue doing my thing: giving a pint of blood every eight weeks and volunteering my time and limited talents to selected groups. I encourage everyone, no matter your source of inspiration, to do the same.

Sources:

1: “Scarlet Begonias” written by Robert Hunter of the Grateful Dead and covered by Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band on the album “License to Chill.”

2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Buffett