Country singer Jake Owen is holding tight to one “amazing” memory of Jimmy Buffett as we near what would have been the legendary performer’s 79th birthday.
On the Wednesday, November 19 episode of Rolling Stone’sNashville Now podcast, Owen, 44, recalled the day Buffett flew himself into Owen’s hometown of Vero Beach, Florida, to headline his annual charity show for the Jake Owen Foundation.
“He literally flew his own plane in, landed at Vero Beach airport, got off in flip-fops and a shirt with Mac McAnally, gig bag on his shoulder, and played for the people of Vero Beach,” Owen shared. “And then he got back on his airplane and flew himself out of there. Talk about that story, right? ‘Jimmy Buffett’s gonna stop by for a little bit in his airplane and play some songs…’ To have that kind of memory is amazing.”
The two had first shared a bill in 2017 at a hurricane relief benefit in Tallahassee. A few years later, Buffett quietly returned the favor by treating Owen’s hometown crowd to an intimate acoustic set — no fanfare, just flip-flops, a guitar, and his generous heart.
After Buffett’s death in 2023, Owen was invited to perform at the star-studded celebration of life at the Hollywood Bowl, an experience he says he’ll never forget. Onstage during the finale, he found himself surrounded by music royalty. “I was singing into a microphone looking face to face at Joe Walsh, singing ‘Let It Be,’ while McCartney played piano, and Snoop Dogg’s smoking a blunt,” Owen said. “Only Jimmy Buffett could bring these people together and provide this type of unity… and understanding that music is freedom.”
As Owen and so many others continue celebrating Buffett’s legacy, those closest to him say his joy never dimmed — not even at the very end. Mac McAnally, Buffett’s longtime Coral Reefer Band guitarist, revealed he visited the singer just 24 hours before his death and found him in remarkably good spirits. “He was smiling wider than his head and saying, ‘What a hell of a ride, keep it going, keep the party going,’” he told Fox News Digital in 2023. McAnally shared that he picked up a guitar, and the two spent their final visit sharing tour stories and laughing.
The “Margaritaville” hitmaker was diagnosed with Merkel cell carcinoma that had metastasized into lymphoma. Buffet died on September 1, 2023 at age 76.
This story was originally reported by Parade on Nov 24, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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