Clint Black remembers first time he shared stage at Ladd-Peebles

Clint Black remembers first time he shared stage at Ladd-Peebles

By Clint Black
Jimmy Buffett was one of my biggest influences and I got to discover first hand that he was exactly who we all thought he was. He was a modern day Mark Twain, who turned his many adventures into songs and books and transported us to those exotic places he loved.
In 1989, when Jimmy found out I was a Parrot Head and invited me to open for him in Mobile at Ladd Stadium. What a gift he gave me. As time went on, he would spend time on the phone with me, helping me understand this crazy new world of the record business.
We would go on write Happiness Alone together for my 4th album & when his harmonica player left the band, he invited me to join him on tour! What a guy. These are not a part of the big dreams we have of making it in showbiz. These are things we couldn’t have possibly imagined.
I toured with Jimmy for half the summer of 1998 & came away with a new lease on touring. He ran a fine ship & it was a most fun & relaxing voyage. I imagine only the circus could compare with a Jimmy Buffett tour. Beyond the controlled chaos of his show, there was a depth to his lyrics that defied the carnival nature of his concert experience. Margaritaville defined him to many, but to me, you could’ve set that aside & still have too many masterpieces to name. There’s both joy & pain in reminiscing. He left behind so much to remind us of why we loved our King of the Parrot Heads. The pirate who looked at 40 and 50, now looks at the Pearly Gates. Rest in Peace on that golden beach