What I’m Reading – Jimmy Buffett-A Good Life All The Way

Jimmy Buffett—A Good Life All the Way Ryan White (2017)

Hippie. Millionaire. Beach Bum. Rock Star. Pirate. Folk Singer. Drunkard. Philosopher. Legend.

Jimmy Buffett is a little of all those things but none of them describe him in full. That’s the challenge. His music spans genres – rock, country, with flavors from New Orleans and the Caribbean and undertones of jazz and the blues.

Jimmy Buffett is simply Jimmy Buffett.

In “Jimmy Buffett—A Good Life All the Way”, Ryan White takes us through the process that produced the man and the music. Filled with beaches and booze, music, and Jimmy’s charismatic personality, the book provides the kind of stories you would expect. From funny trivia (Buffett constantly loses his car keys) to the step-by-step process that created the legend, “A Good Life All the Way” gives the reader everything you could want.

Jimmy Buffett is the 20^th century’s musical Huck Finn. He speaks our language, offering visions of a life that is both laid back and adventurous. Some songs are nostalgic (Pencil Thin Mustache) or in the moment (Margaritaville), romantic (Come Monday) or outrageous (Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw), reflective (A Pirate Looks at Forty) or joyously, well, Jimmy (Cheeseburger in Paradise).

He doesn’t deny that some decisions were ill-advised, but he doesn’t dwell on them. Whatever happened, he survived. Live a little, learn a little, live a little more.

Jimmy Buffett fans will love every page of this book. Ryan White chooses a breezy, sharing-stories-over-a-couple-drinks style that is the perfect choice for the subject. It’s a lot like sitting at a table while folks stop by to share a story or three as the night progresses.

I’ve been a Buffett fan since the mid-70s and have been to more of his concerts than any other artist.  Some music you outgrow.  With Jimmy, it feels like it fits at all ages. As a writer, I enjoyed the book.  As a fan, I loved it.

Like the man himself, the book is a collection of stories of life, love, longing, and laughter.

Rating – ****