In May, Jimmy Buffett fans everywhere were worried after the “Margaritaville” musician announced he had been hospitalized for issues that needed “immediate attention,” forcing him to abruptly postpone upcoming concerts.
But recently, Buffett made a surprise appearance at a concert, delighting the crowd and showing that he’s still got plenty of life left in him.
Mac McAnally, a singer-songwriter and longtime member of the Coral Reefer Band (Jimmy Buffett’s backing band) recently gave a concert at Sunset Cove, a waterfront bar in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.
The crowd was enjoying the show — but really went wild when McAnally brought out a surprise guest.
McAnally was performing the Alan Jackson-Jimmy Buffett tune “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere.” When he got to the song’s lyric, “what would Jimmy Buffett do?” Buffett stepped out and replied “I would come play it for you!”
Buffett then took a guitar and continued the song with him:
“I still can’t believe it happened,” Andre Arsenault, who shared the video, told The Providence Journal, saying he just happened to be recording the performance when he captured the surprise moment.
“I just thought it was amazing that two Coral Reefers were playing that in Island Park, where I’ve played countless times. All of a sudden the people in front of me jumped up so I couldn’t see anything, and when I stood up Jimmy was right there.”
In his video, you can see the audience’s excited reaction: they all get up and give Buffett a standing ovation. Not only was it a surprise appearance by a huge artist, but it was no doubt a relief for these “Parrotheads” to see the man himself back on his feet after a worrying hospitalization.
On May 18, Buffett, 76, announced that he had stopped in Boston for a check-up after returning from a trip to the Bahamas, and “wound up back in the hospital.”
He didn’t specify what was wrong, but described it as “some issues that needed immediate attention.” He postponed an upcoming concert in Charleston, South Carolina.
“Growing old is not for sissies, I promise you,” he wrote in his statement. “I also will promise you, that when I am well enough to perform, that is what I’ll be doing in the land of She-Crab soup.”
But after being sidelined for weeks due to his health, Buffett was ready to get back in front of a crowd. Mike MacFarlane, owner of Sunset Cove, recalls McAnally telling him that Buffett was “itching to get back on the road” and that he wanted to “crash the party.”
“Nobody had a clue,” MacFarlane, who turned 50 the day of the surprise set, told The Providence Journal. “I didn’t want a surprise party for my birthday, but in reality, I did have one. The surprise was just for everyone else.”
After the reveal, Buffett reportedly played a 40 minute set, with six songs including “A Pirate Looks at Forty” — Buffett changed the lyrics to “Fifty” in honor of MacFarlane’s birthday.
Buffett has not announced any upcoming tour dates since his hospitalization, but promised to return to the road once he was recovered.
“Once I am in shape, we will look at the whens and wheres of shows. I think playing is as therapeutic for me as it is for fans to listen and sing along,” he wrote on Facebook. “Looking forward to announcing a new date for Charleston as well as some new shows! Fins up!”
It’s not summer without Jimmy Buffett, and we’re glad to see that the legend is back on his feet after his recent hospitalization. We can’t wait for him to get back on the road!
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