Day #0 – My Heart Is Sad
“The post” came out around midnight my time, from his official pages. I saw it on Facebook and it explained, simply and sincerely, that Jimmy had passed, with his family and friends and music and dogs at his side, on the night of 9/1/2023.
I immediately felt disbelief and denial. I checked the comments and there were already several. Some expressed shock but acceptance, most were in denial like myself, a few were claiming “fake news”, a few condemned the site for spreading lies. Lies, I recall thinking, why would his official site lie about this? It was certainly not a lie, but could it be a mistake? Doubtful no matter how much I wished that was the case. I had just turned the lights off and laid down. It was weird that I even picked my phone back up at that moment, because I usually do not. But that night I did. Some type of intuition, I guess. I checked the internet, but nothing had made it to Google searches that soon. I laid back down, my mind was numb, and I tried to sleep.
It was still dark when I checked my phone again, this time there were messages from a couple of Parrothead friends. Of course, I already knew it had to be true, but that was the final confirmation I needed. It wasn’t just my world that felt rocked, it was their world too.
My original Facebook post early in the morning, when I had to face the truth without a doubt, even though I knew just after midnight. It reads as such…
***
Original post from 9/2/023 at 7:34 am
My heart is sad!
I seen this last night before I went to sleep. I hoped it was incorrect, but it honestly felt true. He canceled a show in the spring in Charleston and had been hospitalized at that time. No tour this summer, also very unusual for him. I went to bed with this release humming through my mind, didn’t sleep well, and woke up with the words “Changing Channels” in my head.
I always knew there would be a time when this world would turn without Jimmy Buffett along for the ride, and I also knew that I would never be ready for it!
I can’t even begin to describe what Jimmy Buffett’s songs, stories, and concerts have meant to me. His music and personality and vibration are absolutely a huge part of my life. He built an empire on a song, but more importantly, he made millions and millions of people happy.
I do not exaggerate! He gave us laughter and songs and stories, he gave us a village to belong to- a huge village that smelled like rum and suntan lotion and salty ocean breezes, a village that wore bird feathers and Hawaiian shirts and flip flops, a village of laughter and songs and new best friends, a village that watched sunsets and stars and looked for waterspouts on the gulf stream.
There is not one day that I don’t listen to his music, and of course I will continue to, but it will be different now. In the words of Jimmy himself, “Sail on, sail on sailor”!
All pirates need to rest eventually! Jimmy Buffett 1946-2023
***
So, that was it, the very first thing I associate with what has become my JB tribute.
So I am using this first post to explain how my song tribute to Jimmy began on my personal Facebook page. It was very organic, and started with my sharing a song later in the day that I woke up hearing and could not get out of my head, but that will be a post for tomorrow, officially documenting the first day of my posts of songs and stories.
Today has officially been a month since Jimmy sailed off into his sunset, and it seems like a good day to start this blog, by cataloging my first months’ posts, in the second month after … I hope you enjoy what is to come. This is my way to pay tribute to a man whose music has meant so much to me, still means so much to me, and which will always mean so much to me.
And if I can bring some happiness to others who also connect to his music, or if I can spread the magic of his music to new listeners, then I will be happy!
Stacy
