R.I.P., Jay Spell (Buffett's Coral Reefer Band)

[Kudzu Guillotine]

Garratt Wilkin of Garratt Wilkin & the Parrotheads has issued the following statement in regards to the passing of former Coral Reefer keyboardist Jay Spell:

"It is with great sadness that we report that our keyboard player, Jay Spell, lost his battle with cancer early Friday morning, December 31, 2010. Services are pending, will let you know when details are released. Please join us in keeping Jay's family in your thoughts and prayers."

In addition to Buffett's Coral Reefer Band and Wilkin's Parrotheads, Jay also played with a number of other artists over the years including, but not limited to Canned Heat and John Mayall. Jay, a native of Spivey's Corner, NC (best known for it's annual Hollerin' Contest) can be heard on Buffett's legendary live album, You Had To Be There as well as the studio effort Son of a Son of a Sailor. Jay's list of credits can be seen here. In the clip below, Jay can be seen (and heard) as a member of Buffett's Coral Reefer Band during an appearance on Saturday Night Live from May of 1978 in support of his then new album, Son of a Son of a Sailor.

[Swamp]

Garratt Wilkin of Garratt Wilkin & the Parrotheads has issued the following statement in regards to the passing of former Coral Reefer keyboardist Jay Spell:

"It is with great sadness that we report that our keyboard player, Jay Spell, lost his battle with cancer early Friday morning, December 31, 2010. Services are pending, will let you know when details are released. Please join us in keeping Jay's family in your thoughts and prayers."

In addition to Buffett's Coral Reefer Band and Wilkin's Parrotheads, Jay also played with a number of other artists over the years including, but not limited to Canned Heat and John Mayall. Jay, a native of Spivey's Corner, NC (best known for it's annual Hollerin' Contest) can be heard on Buffett's legendary live album, You Had To Be There as well as the studio effort Son of a Son of a Sailor. Jay's list of credits can be seen here. In the clip below, Jay can be seen (and heard) as a member of Buffett's Coral Reefer Band during an appearance on Saturday Night Live from May of 1978 in support of his then new album, Son of a Son of a Sailor.

RIP Jay.
I was at the show in Orlando in between the Fox and Miami recording of YHTBT. Steve Miller and Little River Band
were also there.

[LuthierJustin]

RIP, whats the story behind the last verse of Son of a Sailor in that video, its different, was that the original verse? I think its better than the one on the album.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

RIP Jay.
I was at the show in Orlando in between the Fox and Miami recording of YHTBT. Steve Miller and Little River Band
were also there.

My first Buffett show wasn't until the Spring of '79 during Apple Chill weekend in Chapel Hill when he was on a bill that also included The Spinners (who opened) and Nantucket. I'd love to know but I have no idea if the Coral Reefer Band lineup included Jay then or not. In fact, I haven't even been able to find any documentation of that show online anywhere, well, until yesterday when I stumbled upon a site dedicated to memories of the Apple Chill fest. Then, I found the following post in the Comments section which helped jar memories I'd long since forgotten:

"In 1979, Jubilee was revived in the form of "Spring Fest" in Kenan Stadium. The stadium had no lights then and the organizers arranged candles in the far upper deck to spell out "Spring Fest." The Spinners opened and they were boo'd when they said "hello, Raleigh, how y'all doin' out there?" thinking they were in Raleigh because they flew into RDU. Jimmy Buffet did the evening show and someone cleverly rearranged the candles to spell "Spring Fu#%"

Oh, those were the days."

RIP, whats the story behind the last verse of Son of a Sailor in that video, its different, was that the original verse? I think its better than the one on the album.

Buffett has always had a habit of changing up lyrics in concert, something he addresses in the liner notes to You Had To Be There (reprinted below). Something else to keep in mind prior to reading them, Jay Spell was blind:

THERE’S NOTHING to this show bidness gig. After twelve years and ten albums I enjoy remembering some of the moments in the history of Coral Reefer madness that still make it fun.

The morning in San Francisco when I found a chandelier in Fingers’ bathroom sink and drug him out of bed to help me rehang the goddamn thing; the night at Kiawah Island when Harry discovered the new religion of Naked Hall Meditation; when Jay Spell introduced Martin Mull to Braille centerfolds; when Buttrey polished off a magnum of champagne during a Central Park concert and finished the evening by attempting to drop-kick his snare drum into the monitor board; the night Deborah and Fingers did their impression of Ike and Tina Turner in a Holiday Inn bar near Billings, Montana; the time Barry decided to redecorate the interior of a Chrysler Cordoba in Sacramento; the afternoon I decided to take the bus for a spin near Wrightsville Beach to find some beer; or just yesterday in London, when they gave all our suites to Gladys Knight and the Pips.

I could go on for hours telling stories but I guess…you had to be there.

Jimmy Buffett
Wasting away in London
August 30, 1978

Note: To all avid lyric fanatics: you may or may not notice that some verses and phrases on these records are not the same as the original version. I can only blame that mishap on an over-indulgence in Mount Gay rum and an over-abuse of poetic license. Hope you enjoy the new versions. J.B.

[LuthierJustin]

He's singing about the cast on his foot, i just listened again and noticed it.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

He's singing about the cast on his foot, i just listened again and noticed it.

He got a lot of mileage out of his broken legs via his lyrics over the years. Check out the Carson interview below when you get a chance as he goes into quite a bit of detail about all of his broken leg incidents. Not the best quality either audio or video-wise but it's a wonder anyone was even taping stuff at all back then. I'd still love to get my hands on a copy of his Austin City Limits appearance from 1977. I found a torrent site for all of the old ACL episodes but I need to download a torrent client so I can give it a shot. Former Coral Reefer Roger Bartlett's site has some old photos from back in those days, here's one of 'em from the first ACL taping: