Coppell High School students do not tend to think of their teacher’s lives outside of the classroom. But, teachers and staff enjoy attending concerts as much as the students at CHS.
Many of the staff are ‘parrotheads’ and enjoy attending the lively concerts by American singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, who died on Sept. 1 after four years of fighting Merkel cell skin cancer at the age of 76.
One of these parrotheads is business teacher Bruce Stewart.
“It wasn’t just a show he put on,” Stewart said. “It was the antics, the pre-show in the parking lot. It was food, it was music, it was drinks, it was all a big party with people there to see him.”
Most famously known for his songs “Margaritaville”, “Cheeseburgers In Paradise” and “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” Buffett totaled 30 studio albums with eight certified gold and nine certified platinum or multi platinum.
“I saw him about 10 times over the course of the past 30 years,” Stewart said. “I believe his legacy will be passed on. In years to come, people will still be playing his music and talk about how cool he and his songwriting are.”
He was unique in his music style creating a brand of what is called “Island Escapism.” Buffett liked to call his music “drunken Caribbean rock ‘n’ roll.”
His music style combined country, rock, folk, calypso and pop music with coastal and tropical lyrical themes for a sound often called “gulf and western” or tropical rock.
“Jimmy painted pictures and short stories in all the songs he wrote,” country music singer-songwriter Kenny Chesney said to Rolling Stone. “He taught a lot of people about the poetry in just living, especially this kid from East Tennessee.”
Buffett is one of the highest-earned musicians of all time with an estimated net worth of $1 billion.
Buffett was heavily involved in charity work including Save the Manatee Club with former Florida Governor Bob Graham, in addition to performing many charity concerts for hurricane relief Hurricane Charley, Hurricane Frances, Hurricane Ivan, Hurricane Jeanne and Hurricane Harvey.
Though his passing means the end of his live shows, new albums and charity work, the lasting legacy of Jimmy Buffett shall continue on for years. His impact on people will be remembered in Coppell.
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