Jimmy Buffett may no longer be with us physically, but leave it to the “Margaritaville” legend to still crash his own party.
During his posthumous induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in October 2024, Buffett was honored with a heartfelt tribute by longtime friends Kenny Chesney, James Taylor, and Mac McAnally.
Most in the room said they could feel his presence — but as it turns out, he was actually there… in a way.
A Pocket-Sized Surprise
In a recent chat with Howard Stern, Chesney let the tiki cat out of the bag, revealing that McAnally had something extra in his jacket during the performance.
“Mac comes up to me and goes, ‘Look at this,’” Chesney said. “And it was a small urn. He had Jimmy’s ashes in his coat pocket.”
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Yep — Jimmy Buffett’s ashes were literally smuggled onstage at the Rock Hall ceremony.
A surprise cameo for one final performance.
“So even after he passed,” Chesney added with a grin, “Jimmy found a way to join the party.”
A Tribute Full of Heart… and a Bit of Mischief
The trio performed Buffett’s 1974 classic “Come Monday” in front of a giant black-and-white photo of the beloved singer.
Taylor, who inducted Buffett into the Musical Excellence category, introduced the performance by saying:
We’re three old friends of Jimmy Buffett, and we miss him. This is a song of his that we like a lot.
It was a sweet, emotional moment — laced with just enough Buffett-style mischief to make it unforgettable.
The Ultimate Encore
Buffett passed away in September 2023 at age 76 after a private battle with skin cancer.
He leaves behind his wife Jane, three children, and an ocean’s worth of Parrotheads still raising a glass in his honor.
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And now, thanks to a pocket-sized urn and some backstage ingenuity, he made it to one last gig — the biggest one of all.
Because if anyone could pull off a posthumous party crash, it’s Jimmy Buffett.
25 Best Kenny Chesney Songs That Prove He’s Country Music Hall of Fame Worthy
What truly separates Chesney — a 2025 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee — from other artists is his third act. Six of the 25 songs on this list of Kenny Chesney’s best were released after 2010. It’s there he took some of his biggest risks, rewarding fans with some of the greatest lyrical moments and sounds of the 21st century.
We ranked the Top 25 Kenny Chesney songs using chart data, streaming and airplay numbers and staff/reader opinion. The year listed alongside the title is the year it was released as a radio single. The No. 1 song on this list exemplifies the best of what the Tennessee native is capable of.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
