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Finding aid created by Frank Orser
University of Florida Smathers Libraries - Special and Area Studies Collections
September 2011
Descriptive Summary | ||
Creator: | Buffett, Jimmy | |
Title: | Jimmy Buffett Papers | |
Dates: | 1975-2005 | |
Abstract: | Manuscripts, drafts and galleys of books and movie scripts written by Jimmy Buffett, accompanied by notes and related correspondence. | |
Extent: | 5.8 Linear feet. 10 boxes. | |
Identification: | MS Group 105 | |
Language(s): | English |
Musician, author. The grandson of a sea captain and son of a Navy shipbuilder, singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett's music and writings are full of references to sea life also by way of his drunken-sailor persona. Raised in Mobile, Alabama, Buffett moved to New Orleans after his high school graduation to attend college where he worked as a guitarist and vocalist performing folk music and composing his own music. In the late 1960s he moved to Nashville, to enter the music business. While writing for Billboard magazine Buffett performed locally and signed a recording contract with Barnaby Records. He settled near Key West, Florida, living for a time aboard his ketch, island-hopping and smuggling marijuana.
In 1977 his gold record Margaritaville was released. Tales from Margaritaville, a collection of humorous short stories and personal anecdotes, was published in 1990. He had previously written a children's book, The Jolly Mon (1988), with his daughter Savannah Jane, but Tales from Margaritaville was his first full-length book. He followed it in 1992 with the novel Where is Joe Merchant? establishing his storytelling talents not only in music, but in literature. Although he still maintains his drunken-sailor persona in his work, he devotes a great deal of time and his work's proceeds to philanthropic activities.
Source: Contemporary Authors Online. The Gale Group, 2001. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: The Gale Group. 2002.
The Jimmy Buffett Papers, dated 1975-2005, are primarily drafts, notes, correspondence, and galleys of Jimmy Buffett's books and movies.
Books include Tales from Margaritaville (a collection of short stories published in 1989), Where is Joe Merchant? (a novel published in 1992), A Pirate Looks at Fifty (autobiography released in 1998), and A Salty Piece of Land (novel published in 2004).
Also included are notes, story summaries, and drafts for the unreleased movie adaptation of Buffett's novel Where is Joe Merchant?, which was also known as "Daybreak on the Equator." Drafts and the shooting script for the movie Hoot with Jimmy Buffett serving as Executive Producer, actor, and provided music for the movie which was an adaptation of Carl Hiaasen's novel, with a screenplay written and directed by Wil Shriner. Finally, there are drafts for the short-lived Miami based Stage Play/Musical Don't Stop the Carnival produced by Herman Wouk (author of the novel) in conjunction with Jimmy Buffett who released an album of the same name.
The papers also include five non-professional videotapes of performances, a contract for a concert at the Euphoria Tavern in Portland, Oregon, a list of fiction and non-fiction books with Buffett's favorites indicated, thank you letters for philanthropic activities, and a list of scholarship recipients at the Cincinnati Public Schools.
The collection is open for research.
Literary rights are retained by Jimmy Buffett.
[Identification of item], Jimmy Buffett Papers, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Gift of Jimmy Buffett, June 1, 1993.
Additional accession processed and added to the collection in April 2019.
Tales from Margaritaville - Book of short stories. | |||||||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||||
1 | 1 | Correspondence with editor Bonnie Ingber, Harcourt, Brace and Jovanovich. 1989 | |||||||||||
1 | 2 | "Take Another Road", typescript, early draft, with numerous holograph collections. | |||||||||||
1 | 3 | "Take Another Road", revised typescript, two copies. | |||||||||||
1 | 4 | "Off to See the Lizard", three drafts, one with holograph corrections. | |||||||||||
1 | 5 | "Are You Ready for Freddy?", early draft, with numerous holograph corrections. | |||||||||||
1 | 6 | Drafts, additions to stories. 1989 April 27 | |||||||||||
1 | 7 | Drafts, additions to stories. 1989 May 8 | |||||||||||
1 | 8 | Copyedited typescript; some holograph notes by JB (red ink). | |||||||||||
1 | 9 | Uncorrected galleys with many editorial notes, queries, and JB's replies, corrections, etc. "A love traingle adrift in the Bermuda Triangle," by Terry McDonell and Jimmy Buffett. 109 pp. | |||||||||||
1 | 10 | Margaritaville, the Movie, typescript, first draft. 1987 October 27 |
Where is Joe Merchant? - Novel. | |||||||||||||
Early Notes, Drafts, Working Notes. | |||||||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||||
2 | 1 | Early autograph and typed research notes, plot ideas, etc., dating from October 1990 through June 1991. Includes preliminary letters to publisher. 1990-1991 | |||||||||||
2 | 2 | Plot outlines, character sketches, early drafts (typescripts and disks), various dates. 1989-1991 | |||||||||||
2 | 3 | Plot outlines, character sketches, early drafts (typescripts and disks), various dates. 1989-1991 | |||||||||||
2 | 4 | Nine variant drafts of original Chapter 1, "I Fly Boats," (later the Prologue) with differing titles. Dated March to October. 1990 | |||||||||||
2 | 5 | Seven variant drafts of the original Chapter 2, with differing titles, dated September 1990 to February 1991. 1990-1991 | |||||||||||
2 | 6 | Six variants of "See You in C-U-B-A", originally labeled Chapter 3 (but became Chapter 2 in Published book), dated September 1990 to February 1991. 1990-1991 | |||||||||||
2 | 7 | Four variant drafts of the original Chapter 2, "under the Lone Palm," or "the Lady I Can't Explain," dated September to October 1990. 1990 | |||||||||||
2 | 8 | Working notes: Revised Outline; "Down Island Dictionary"; Notes on characters and events, etc. 1991 March 24 | |||||||||||
2 | 9 | Working notes: Notes on characters, places, events, etc. | |||||||||||
2 | 10 | Working notes: notes and research on character, places, events, etc.. 1989 | |||||||||||
3 | 1 | Working notes: Cuba. 1990 | |||||||||||
3 | 2 | Working notes: Colonel Cairo background. 1989 | |||||||||||
3 | 3 | Working notes: Frank Bama Vietnam. 1990 March 6 | |||||||||||
3 | 4 | Working notes: Charlies Fabian background. undated | |||||||||||
3 | 5 | Working notes: Outline, dialogue, plot ideas. 1989 | |||||||||||
3 | 6 | Working notes: Handwritten book notes. 1990-1991 | |||||||||||
Revisions and variant chapters. | |||||||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||||
3 | 7 | Seven versions of the original Chapter 4, "beyond the Low Water Mark," dated October 18 to November 15. 1990 | |||||||||||
3 | 8 | Five versions of "Trying to resason with Hurricane Season," dated Nvoember 1990 to February 1991. 1990-1991 | |||||||||||
3 | 9 | Four versions of "Colonel Cairo," dated November to December. 1990 | |||||||||||
3 | 10 | Two versions of "Want What You Have". 1991 November | |||||||||||
3 | 11 | From large folder labeled "Old Files to Key West": Early plot outlines, notes, many autograph corrections, fragments of chapters, etc. 1990-1991 | |||||||||||
3 | 12 | From large folder labeled "Old Files to Key West": Early plot outlines, notes, many autograph corrections, fragments of chapters, etc. 1990-1991 | |||||||||||
3 | 13 | From large folder labeled "Old Files to Key West": Early plot outlines, notes, many autograph corrections, fragments of chapters, etc. 1990-1991 | |||||||||||
3 | 14 | "Pictures from the Past," 7/28/91; "Dream Body," 7/18/91; "Where Has the Time All Gone?" 7/12/91; "Find Your Ship, Find Your Oar," 7/12/91; "Bless Me Father," 6/21/91. 1991 | |||||||||||
3 | 15 | "Pray for Me, Pablo Neruda," 4/15/91; "What Has Four Eyes and Two Barrels?" 4/19-22/91; "Suntans and Percodans," 3/26/91; "I'm Clean," 4/8/91; "God, Don't Let Him Forget the Meatloaf," 4/4/91; "I'll Be Your Pizza Tonight," 4/15-18/91; "Stand by Your Passenger," 4/15-18/91; "Living and Dying in 3/4 Time," 4/24/91; "First Things First," 7/28/91. 1991 | |||||||||||
3 | 16 | Miscellaneous chapters, revised and replaced during 1991, many with notes and autograph corrections. 1991 | |||||||||||
4 | 1 | Miscellaneous chapters, revised and replaced during 1991, many with notes and autograph corrections. 1991 | |||||||||||
4 | 2 | Miscellaneous chapters, revised and replaced during 1991, many with notes and autograph corrections. 1991 | |||||||||||
4 | 3 | Miscellaneous chapters, revised and replaced during 1991, many with notes and autograph corrections. 1991 | |||||||||||
4 | 4 | Miscellaneous chapters, revised and replaced during 1991, many with notes and autograph corrections. 1991 | |||||||||||
4 | 5 | "Big Book" (large black loose-leaf notebook version of Joe Merchant chapter outline and text as of October-November 1991). Note: Chapters removed from notebook for archival preservation. 1991 | |||||||||||
4 | 6 | "Big Book" (large black loose-leaf notebook version of Joe Merchant chapter outline and text as of October-November 1991).. 1991 | |||||||||||
4 | 7 | "Big Book" (large black loose-leaf notebook version of Joe Merchant chapter outline and text as of October-November 1991).. 1991 | |||||||||||
4 | 8 | "Big Book" (large black loose-leaf notebook version of Joe Merchant chapter outline and text as of October-November 1991).. 1991 | |||||||||||
4 | 9 | Additions and changes to various chapters during fall. 1991 | |||||||||||
5 | 1 | Additions and changes, many autograph notes, corrections. 1991 December | |||||||||||
5 | 2 | Corrections, additions, notes, outlines and autograph changes. 1991 December | |||||||||||
5 | 3 | Drafts of chapters, as above, dated January through March. 1992 | |||||||||||
5 | 4 | Drafts of chapters, as above, dated January through March. 1992 | |||||||||||
5 | 5 | Drafts of chapters, as above, dated January through March. 1992 | |||||||||||
5 | 6 | Drafts of chapters, as above, dated January through March. 1992 | |||||||||||
5 | 7 | Photocopy of complete copyedited typescript, April ?. 1992 | |||||||||||
5 | 8 | Photocopy of complete copyedited typescript, April ?. 1992 | |||||||||||
5 | 9 | Photocopy of complete copyedited typescript, April ?. 1992 | |||||||||||
6 | 1 | Photocopy of complete copyedited typescript, April ?. 1992 | |||||||||||
6 | 2 | Correspondence between JB and editors re copyediting changes, schedule for publication, proposed cover blurb, etc. 1992 April-May | |||||||||||
Galleys, Proofs and Miscellaneous. | |||||||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||||
6 | 3 | Successive sets of untrimmed, publisher's galleys; many with inserted corrections. 1992 May-June | |||||||||||
6 | 4 | Successive sets of untrimmed, publisher's galleys; many with inserted corrections. 1992 May-June | |||||||||||
6 | 5 | Successive sets of untrimmed, publisher's galleys; many with inserted corrections. 1992 May-June | |||||||||||
6 | 6 | Successive sets of untrimmed, publisher's galleys; many with inserted corrections. 1992 May-June | |||||||||||
6 | 7 | Complete set of "Confirmation Proofs," trimmed, printed. 1992 June 12-17 | |||||||||||
6 | 8 | Complete set of "Confirmation Proofs," trimmed, printed. 1992 June 12-17 | |||||||||||
6 | 9 | Trimmed galley pages, dated June 3, 1992, etc., with note: "Copy of what was messengered [sic] to C. Holmes, 6/19." With autograph corrections. 1992 June 9 | |||||||||||
6 | 10 | Trimmed, "revised" galley pages, etc. 1992 | |||||||||||
7 | 1 | Trimmed, selected galley pages, with final corrections. 1992 June 30 | |||||||||||
7 | 2 | Proof pages with graphic layout/text for preliminary pages of book, late June, July 1992. Originals returned to author August 6, 1992. 1992 | |||||||||||
7 | 3 | Two boxes (total 23 diskettes) of High-Density (1.44 MB) IBM-compatible diskettes, containing text of book. Circa 1992 |
Where is Joe Merchant? (Daybreak on the Equator) - Movie Adaptation. | |||||||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||||
7 | 4 | Letter and outline for Joe Merchant Movie based on meeting in Los Angeles. 1993 December 6 | |||||||||||
7 | 5 | Story summarries by Jimmy Buffett and Terry McDonell. 1993-1994 | |||||||||||
7 | 6 | Movie Notes: Jimmy Buffett's Comments on First Draft of Screenplay by Terry McDonell (includes annotations and letter). 1994 October 28 | |||||||||||
7 | 7 | Screenplay First Draft by Jimmy Buffett and Terry McDonell. 1994 November 14 | |||||||||||
7 | 8 | Revised notes by Jimmy Buffett and Terry McDonell. 1994 December 13 | |||||||||||
7 | 9 | Movie synopsis by Jimmy Buffett. 1995 May 10 | |||||||||||
7 | 10 | Movie outline by Jimmy Buffett. 1995 July 28 | |||||||||||
7 | 11 | Notes on the adaptation of "Where is Joe Merchant? Including a summary of story elements sent to Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Jonathan Zimbert and Jimmy Buffett from Donald Todd (2 copies). 1996 April 1 | |||||||||||
7 | 12 | Screenplay draft by Jimmy Buffett and Don Todd with revision by Jimmy Buffett. 1999 March 16 |
A Pirate Looks at Fifty - Autobiography. | |||||||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||||
8 | 1 | Draft. 1997 July 7 | |||||||||||
8 | 2 | Copyedited manuscript (1 of 4). 1998 February 4 | |||||||||||
8 | 3 | Copyedited manuscript (2 of 4). 1998 February 4 | |||||||||||
8 | 4 | Copyedited manuscript (3 of 4). 1998 February 4 | |||||||||||
8 | 5 | Copyedited manuscript (4 of 4). 1998 February 4 | |||||||||||
8 | 6 | First pass revisions (1 of 2). 1998 April 3 | |||||||||||
8 | 7 | First pass revisions (2 of 2). 1998 April 3 | |||||||||||
8 | 8 | Draft (on Iomega ZIP drive). undated |
Hoot - Movie. | |||||||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||||
9 | 1 | Edited draft of screenplay (with handwritten notes by Jimmy Buffett). 2003 September 13 | |||||||||||
9 | 2 | Oneline shooting schedule. 2004 January 22 | |||||||||||
9 | 3 | Revised draft. 2004 November 9 | |||||||||||
9 | 4 | Revised draft. 2005 April 27 | |||||||||||
9 | 5 | Third revised draft. 2005 May 6 |
A Salty Piece of Land - Novel. | |||||||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||||
9 | 6 | Edited drafts of chapters. 2003 August 3 | |||||||||||
9 | 7 | Outline and edited draft (1 of 3). 2004 January 4 | |||||||||||
9 | 8 | Outline and edited draft (2 of 3). 2004 January 4 | |||||||||||
9 | 9 | Outline and edited draft (3 of 3). 2004 January 4 | |||||||||||
9 | 10 | Original manuscript (edited) (1 of 2). undated | |||||||||||
10 | 1 | Original manuscript (edited) (2 of 2). undated | |||||||||||
10 | 2 | Research on the schooner "When and If". undated |
Don't Stop the Carnival (The Legend of Norman Paperman) - Stage Play/Musical. | |||||||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||||
10 | 3 | Draft. 1995 July 26 | |||||||||||
10 | 4 | Draft. 1996 May 1 | |||||||||||
10 | 5 | Draft. 1997 July | |||||||||||
10 | 6 | Draft revision. 2001 January 30 |
Miscellaneous Materials. | |||||||||||||
Box | Folder | ||||||||||||
10 | 7 | Biographical materials. Contract for concert, Portland, Oregon, 1975, at the Euphoria Tavern; List of books, fiction and non-fiction, with JB's favorite books indicated. 1975 and Not dated | |||||||||||
10 | 8 | Three videotapes, VHS format, non-professional;1 DVD: 1) "Orlando Arena Concert", 8/89, also marked "Orlando Concert with Nevilles," January 1991; "2) 1989 Orlando Concert Footage - Carnival World Madness," and "Parrothead Award Presentation," October 20, 1991; 3) "Jimmy Buffet in Concert," Christmas 1990, Tallahassee Correctional Institute. DVD (mp4) copy of Tallahassee concert (created December 2017). 1989-1991 | |||||||||||
10 | 9 | Philanthropic Activities. Thank-you letters to JB for financial assistance in hurrican relief for the Bahamas, and for Seacamp; Scholarships given to students of the Cincinnati Public Schools. 1992-1993 | |||||||||||
10 | 10 | Two videotapes, non-professional: 1) Gerry Wood Introduces JB's video "Who's the Blond Stranger?"; 2) "Key West Picture Show" with JB at Austin City Limits. |
Buffett, Jimmy
correspondence
Florida.
Motion pictures.
Musicians.
Novelists, American.
Philanthropists.
For further information, please contact: Special Collections Access Services.