That Time Jimmy Buffett Met Fun 107 and Liked the Name

Editor's note: Jimmy Buffett sat down with Fun 107's Michael Rock in 2019 to discuss his life, music and foray into theater. We're resharing that interview below in the wake of Buffett's Sept. 1, 2023, death at 76. When he learned the name of the station, Michael convinced him "Fun" would be a good title for a radio station of his own. That said, Buffett had another idea for the number following that word. 

Original publication date: Aug. 16, 2019

We had a sit down with the son of a son of a sailor today.  The legendary Jimmy Buffett took time out of his vacation on Nantucket to hang out with us at the Providence Performing Arts Center.  Buffett was there to kickoff the national tour of the production that started on Broadway.

Buffett also joked about my Vineyard Vines shirt.  You can click here to listen to my entire interview with Jimmy Buffett.

Jimmy Buffett's Escape To Margaritaville North American tour will kick off at the PPAC on September 29th and run through October 5th.

Buffett told me that it was important to him that the writers of the show were legit fans.  "The most important thing to me about it was that the writers really lived the (Buffett) culture and know it and not be like doing the Cliffs Notes on me and trying to get the job.   I wanted people that were really good writers, but also grew up as parrot heads."

Is it weird for Buffett to sit in the audience and watch the production vs. being on the stage?

"It's odd to hear other people sing your songs in a narrative and telling a story that you never thought about.  It's crazy how they put those particular songs together and created a whole show out of it."

Jimmy Buffett's Escape to Margaritaville is part of the Taco/White Family Foundation Broadway Series at the iconic Providence Performing Arts Center.  Tickets can be found online by clicking here.