Coral Reefer Band
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The Coral Reefer Band is the touring and recording band of American singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett (until Buffett's death in September 2023). The band's name alludes to both coral reefs (in line with Buffett's tropical-themed music) and "reefer" (slang for marijuana).
Fingers Taylor, an original Coral Reefer, would discover Buffett performing solo one evening at The Hub on the University of Southern Mississippi campus in 1970.[1] This resulted in Taylor contributing harmonica accompaniment for part of the performance, the beginning of their long-term collaboration.
The band performed their final concert with Buffett on May 6, 2023, in San Diego, about three and a half months before Buffett's death in September of that year.[2] On October 30, 2023, Mac McAnally stated in an interview that the Coral Reefer Band would continue touring and performing Buffett's music at his request,[3] reiterating statements made by bandmate Robert Greenidge in a separate interview on September 9, 2023.[4]
The band reunited for the first time since Buffett's passing on April 11, 2024, and served as the house band for the ‘Keep the Party Going: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett’ concert at the Hollywood Bowl.[5] At the concert, McAnally introduced Scotty Emerick as a full-time member of the group.
In May 2024, the band played their first full show after Buffett's death (not counting the Hollywood Bowl tribute concert) at the New Orleans Jazz Fest, where they were joined by guest Sonny Landreth, who had also worked alongside Buffett and the band on various occasions before Buffett's death.[5]
In June, the band announced they would be doing three shows in August as part of the "Keep The Party Going" tour, at the Wharf Amphitheater in Orange Beach, Alabama, on August 1; the Cadence Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park in Atlanta, Georgia on August 2; and the Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio on August 4.[5][6] Proceeds from these shows went to the Buffett-founded nonprofit charity "Singing for a Change."[6] Will Kimbrough, one of Buffett's occasional collaborators and songwriting partners, joined the band at this time.[6] All three shows were sold-out or close to sellouts including over 15,000 people attending the Cincinnati show. The band indicated more dates would be added in the future. In December 2024 additional shows were announced for 2025 one January 24 at the Hard Rock Hotel’s Etess Arena in Atlantic City, NJ.[7] and two scheduled for March in Jacksonville and Hollywood, Florida. The band announced at the Atlantic City show that several more shows will take place during the summer months of 2025. In April the band announced they will be going on tour with The Doobie Brothers for 20 shows between August-September 2025.
Current line-up
As of 2025, the band's lineup consists of:[8][9][10][11][6]
- Doyle Grisham – pedal steel guitar (1974–1976, 1981, 1998–present)
- Robert Greenidge – steel drums (1983–present)[4]
- Peter Mayer – harmony and backing vocals, lead guitar (1989–present)
- Jim Mayer – harmony and backing vocals, bass (1989–present)
- Roger Guth – drums (1989–present)
- John Lovell – trumpet (1992–present)
- Mac McAnally – lead vocals, harmony and backing vocals, rhythm and lead guitars, slide guitar, dobro (1994–present)
- Nadirah Shakoor – harmony and backing vocals, lead vocals (1995–present)
- Tina Gullickson – harmony and backing vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar (1995–present)
- Eric Darken – percussion (2011–present)
- Mick Utley - harmony and backing vocals, keyboards (2022–present)
- Scotty Emerick - lead vocals, harmony and backing vocals, guitar (2023–present)[5][6]
- Will Kimbrough – lead vocals, harmony and backing vocals, guitar (2024–present; occasional guest 2003-2023)[6]
Former members
Former members of the Coral Reefer Band include:[12]
- Dr. Kino Bachellier – percussion
- Doug Bartenfeld – guitar
- Roger Bartlett – harmony vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar. Wrote “Dallas”. (1973–1977)[13]
- M.L. Benoit – congas, percussion, backing vocals
- Matt Betton – drums
- David Briggs – piano (died 2025)
- Jimmy Buffett – vocals, rhythm guitar, ukulele (1974–2023; his death)
- Kenny Buttrey – drums, percussion (1977–1978; died 2004)
- Rich Calhoun – drums
- Hamilton Camp – guitar
- Buzz Cason – keyboards, backing vocals
- Barry Chance – lead guitar, backing vocals (died 2010)
- Marshall Chapman – guitar, backing vocals (1987); co-writer "Last Mango in Paris," writer "The Perfect Partner"
- Sam Clayton – backing vocals, congas, percussion (1982–1988)
- Vassar Clements – fiddle
- Dominic Cortese – accordion
- Sammy Creason – drums
- Claudia Cummings – backing vocals (1991–1997; died 2023)
- Harry Dailey – bass guitar, harmony and backing vocals. Co-writer "Volcano". (1975–1982; died 2003)
- Tim Drummond – bass guitar (1986–1988)
- Philip Fajardo – drums (1975–1976)
- Lanny Fiel – guitar
- Rick Fiel – bass guitar
- Daniel "Stiles" Francisco – trumpet
- Mike Gardner – drums (died 1991)
- Johnny Gimble – fiddle
- Randy Goodrum – keyboards
- Dave Haney – bass guitar
- Mary Harris – backing vocals, vocal arrangements
- Hadley Hockensmith – bass
- Brie Howard – percussion, backing vocals
- Dena Iverson – backing vocals
- Michael Jeffry – guitar, harmony vocals
- Shane Keister – Moog synthesizer
- Don Kloetzke – backing vocals
- Tim Krekel – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Russ Kunkel – drums
- Amy Lee – saxophone. Co-writer of "Fruitcakes". (1991–2005)
- Larry Lee – guitar, drums, keyboards
- Josh Leo – guitar
- Ralph MacDonald – percussion (1974–2011; died 2011)
- Katherine Maisnik – backing vocals
- Deborah McColl – backing vocals
- Andy McMahon – organ, Fender Rhodes
- Vince Melamed – keyboards
- T.C. Mitchell – saxophone, flute (1994–2005)
- Farrell Morris – percussion
- Bob Naylor – harmonica, backing vocals
- The Neville Brothers — backing vocals
- Penny Nichols – backing vocals, including on Son of a Son of a Sailor (died 2017)
- Jay Oliver – keyboards
- Tony Pace – drums
- Norbert Putnam – double bass
- Angel L Quinones Jr. – congas and percussion (1993-1994) - recorded on "Fruitcakes"
- Zachary Richard – acadian accordion
- Phil Royster – congas
- Timothy B. Schmit – bass guitar, harmony and backing vocals, coined the term Parrotheads (1983?-1986?)
- Keith Sykes – guitar
- "Blind" Jay Spell – keyboards (died 2011)
- Paul Tabet – drums
- Greg "Fingers" Taylor – harmonica, keyboards, percussion, backing vocals (1975–2000, 2007; died 2023)
- Bobby Thompson – banjo
- Michael Utley – keyboards (1975–2024)
- Jerry Jeff Walker – guitar, backing vocals, composer
- Bergen White – trombone
- Ed "Lump" Williams – bass guitar
- Reggie Young – electric lead guitar (died 2019)
Timeline
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Honorary members and special guests
Many artists have recorded and/or appeared on stage with Buffett, earning them status as honorary Coral Reefers.[12] Some of the more notable names are listed here. Template:Div col begin
- Paul McCartney – vocals, bass
- James Taylor – vocals
- Grover Washington Jr. – saxophone
- The Oak Ridge Boys – vocals
- Sean Payton – bongos (2012)[14][15]
- Clint Black – vocals, harmonica
- Ed Bradley – vocals, tambourine
- Rita Coolidge – vocals
- Steve Cropper – guitar
- Huey Lewis – vocals, harmonica
- Sheryl Crow – vocals
- Steve Winwood – vocals, organ
- Harrison Ford – whip cracks
- Glenn Frey – guitar, background vocals
- Johnny Gimble – fiddle
- Steve Goodman – guitar
- John Hiatt – guitar
- J.J. Watt – percussion
- Alan Jackson – vocals
- Earl Klugh – guitar
- Nicolette Larsen – vocals
- Roy Orbison – vocals
- Bill Payne – Keyboard
- Miranda Lambert - vocals
- JD Souther – backing vocals
- Sonny Landreth – slide guitar
- Freddie Buffett – background vocals
- Ilo Ferreira – vocals, guitar
- Zac Brown – guitar and vocals
- Bill Kreutzmann – drums
- Ric Flair – drums and background "woo's"
- Brian Wilson – vocals
- Eric Kincaid – bus driver
- Jake Shimabukuro – ukulele (2005–2009, 2024)
- Caroline Jones - harmony and backing vocals, guitar (2017-2019, 2024)
Tours
With Jimmy Buffett
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- A Pink Crustacean Tour (1976)[16]
- Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes Tour (1977)[17]
- Cheeseburger in Paradise Tour (1978)[18]
- You Had to Be There Tour / Volcano Tour (1979)[19]
- A Hot Dog & A Road Map Tour (1980)[20]
- Coconut Telegraph Tour (1981)[21]
- Somewhere over China Tour (with broken leg) (1982)[22]
- Homecoming Tour (1982)[22]
- The Six-Stop American Tour (1983)[23]
- Feeding Frenzy Tour (1984)[24]
- Last Mango in Paris Tour (1985)[25]
- Floridays Tour / World Tour of Florida (1986)[26]
- A Parrot Looks at Forty Tour (1987)[27]
- Cheap Vacation Tour / Hot Water Tour (1988)[28]
- Off to See the Lizard Tour / Buffett Does Ballads Tour (1989)[29]
- Jimmy's Jump Up Tour (1990)[30]
- Outpost Tour (1991)[31]
- Recession Recess Tour (1992)[32]
- Chameleon Caravan Tour (1993)[33]
- Fruitcakes Tour (1994)[34]
- Domino College Tour (1995)[35]
- Banana Wind Tour (1996)[36]
- Havana Daydreamin' Tour (1997)[37]
- Don't Stop the Carnival Tour (1998)[38]
- Beach House on the Moon Tour (1999)[39]
- Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays Tour (2000)[40]
- A Beach Odyssey Tour (2001)[41]
- Far Side of the World Tour (2002)[42]
- Tiki Time Tour (2003)[43]
- License to Chill Tour (2004)[44]
- A Salty Piece of Land Tour (2005)[45]
- Party at the End of the World Tour (2006)[46]
- Bama Breeze Tour (2007)[47]
- Year of Still Here Tour (2008)[48]
- Summerzcool Tour (2009)[49]
- Under the Big Top Tour (2010)[50]
- Welcome to Fin Land Tour (2011)[51]
- Lounging at the Lagoon Tour (2012–13)[52]
- Songs from St. Somewhere Tour (2013–14)[53]
- This One's for You Tour (2014–15)[54]
- Workin' n' Playin' Tour (2015–16)[55]
- I Don't Know Tour (2016–18)[56][57]
- Son of a Son of a Sailor Tour (2018–19)[58][59]
- Life on the Flip Side Tour (2021–22)[60][61]
- Second Wind Tour (2023)[62]
Without Jimmy Buffett
- Keep the Party Going Tour (2024-2025)
References
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