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Zac Brown Band paid tribute to late music legend Jimmy Buffett, “his life, and all of the people that will remember him through his songs.” The band debuted “Pirates & Parrots” featuring singer-songwriter and Coral Reefer Band member Mac McAnally in Buffett’s honor on Friday (April 19).
Buffett died on September 1, 2023 after a four-year battle with a skin cancer known as Merkel cell carcinoma. He was 76. Zac Brown Band’s new collaboration with McAnally “blends Zac Brown Band's signature sound with the laid-back, island-inspired vibes synonymous with Buffett's iconic repertoire, capturing the shared passion for storytelling through song,” reads a press release issued to announce the song’s release on Friday morning.
“I'm so excited for you to hear this song and to pay tribute to Jimmy Buffett. It hit me hard when we found out he was exiting the stage, he was an incredible human being,” frontman Zac Brown said in a statement. “This is a celebration of his life and all of the people that will remember him through his songs.”
“Pirates & Parrots” arrives shortly after Brown, solo artist and bandmate Caroline Jones, McAnally, the Coral Reefer Band and others remembered Buffett with a tribute show hosted at Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, where they delivered the first-ever live performance of their new song. The lineup for the show on April 11 also included Paul McCartney, Eagles, Jon Bon Jovi, Jackson Browne, Brandi Carlile, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Sheryl Crow, Scotty Emerick, Jack Johnson, Jake Owen, Pitbull, Jake Shimabukuro, and other special guests.
Jones recently spoke about Buffett, a longtime friend and mentor, on an episode of Get Real with Caroline Hobby. Jones told the podcast host that she feels “so grateful and so lucky” to have known Buffett. “He influenced so many millions of people with his positive, you know, almost childlike joy. But to have been up close and personal, that doesn't come around with a lot of people in this world, you know. So, I just feel so lucky to have been mentored by him.”
“Pirates & Parrots” also arrives on the eve of Kenny Chesney’s headlining tour kickoff. Zac Brown Band joined the “Sun Goes Down Tour” lineup, along with Uncle Kracker and Megan Moroney. The first night of the tour is a sold-out show at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday (April 20) in Tampa, Florida. See Zac Brown Band’s list of tour dates below, and listen to “Pirates & Parrots” here:
4/20 – Tampa, FL – Raymond James Stadium * SOLD OUT
4/27 – Charlotte, NC – Bank of America Stadium *
5/4 – Minneapolis, MN – U.S. Bank Stadium *
5/11 – Arlington, TX – AT&T Stadium *
5/18 – Atlanta, GA – Mercedes-Benz Stadium *
5/25 – Landover, MD – FedExField *
5/26 – Norfolk, VA – Patriotic Festival 2024 at Scope Arena
6/1 – Pittsburgh, PA – Acrisure Stadium *
6/2 – Canandaigua, NY – CMAC
6/8 – Philadelphia, PA – Lincoln Financial Field * SOLD OUT
6/15 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field *
6/22 – Milwaukee, WI – American Family Field *
7/6 – Kansas City, MO – GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium *
7/7 – Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island – Cavendish Beach Music Festival
7/10 – Ottawa, ON – Ottawa Bluesfest
7/11 – Québec, QC – Festival D'été De Québec
7/13 – Seattle, WA – Lumen Field *
7/20 – Los Angeles, CA – SoFi Stadium *
7/21 – Paso Robles, CA – California Mid-State Fair
7/27 – Denver, CO – Empower Field at Mile High Stadium *
8/3 – Nashville, TN – Nissan Stadium *
8/10 – Detroit, MI – Ford Field *
8/17 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium *
8/23 – Foxborough, MA – Gillette Stadium * SOLD OUT
8/24 – Foxborough, MA – Gillette Stadium * SOLD OUT
8/25 – Foxborough, MA – Gillette Stadium * SOLD OUT
10/27 – Cape Town, South Africa – Cape Town Country Festival
11/9 – Phoenix, AZ – The Hondo Rodeo Fest
* with Kenny Chesney on the SUN GOES DOWN 2024 Tour