So four of our senior memebers of the Santa Barbara Parrothead Club were out there waiting this morning. We were there for a little over an hour, standing around telling stories and shooting the breeze, checking out each plane that was coming into the airport.

We saw his plane land and knew we were in luck when we saw the shark fin on the tail of the plane and the call numbers N502JB. He got off the plane and into a Mercedes SUV rent-a-car. We knew the gate he would be exiting through and we were there waiting for him. As he came through the gate, a couple of us flashed him a fin sign. He stopped, rolled down his window, and with a big smile on his face said “How do you guys know?!”. He was extremely friendly. We told him we were from the Santa Barbara Parrothead Club. We gave him our very first club shirt that was hot off the presses (he got his before we got ours)…he said he liked the logo. We each had an item for him to sign, for me it was my A1A LP, and he graciously signed each item.

Then we asked if we could get a photo, so he pulled to car over to side and got out and took three pictures with us. He asked if we were going to any shows. We told him that two of us are going to Vegas and a big group of our club is going to the Anaheim show. He commented and seemed surprised that we were able to get tickets to the Vegas show and Mike told him that he had won the tickets on Margaritaville.com. He asked if we were going to Hawaii and we unfortunately aren’t, but he said that’s the one he’s really looking forward to (because he gets to go to Hawaii). He was running late for a meeting with his editor for his new book he’s working on and we didn’t want to keep him too long. We thanked him and shook his hand and off he went.

We walked back to our vehicles, while one of our members with clearance went and took pictures of his plane for us. I called my Mom and told her, she was really excited…while the others were on there cell phones telling of our “chance” meeting with Jimmy Buffett.

I was really impressed with how friendly he was and his willingness to spend a few minutes of his time with us while he was running late for a meeting. He seemed to enjoy it as well and not like we were bothering him. He seemed genuinely happy to meet a few fans and defintiely a bit surprised to see us there waiting for him at the gate of the little ol’ Santa Barbara airport.

The pictures with Jimmy weren’t on my camera, so I don’t have them yet. But one of them was a digital camera, so I should have that one to share later today. I have a few pictures of his plane right now and I’ll also scan my signed album cover. I’ll probably put it all up with the story on my website, so I’ll send the link when it’s all in place.

That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it…Andrew

Mike, Jimmy, Jack, and Andrew

Mike, Jimmy, Steve, and Andrew

Mike, Jimmy, Jack, and Andrew

Jimmy's Jet...notice the call number and shark fin on the tail

Close up of the Tail

My copy of A1A that Jimmy signed