h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

James William Buffett was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi, USA, on Christmas Day, 1946. His grandfather was a sailor from Nova Scotia, giving him his inspiration for sailing and the sea.

After changing colleges a couple of times, he graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in journalism. He worked in Nashville, Tennessee, as a reporter for Billboard Magazine while he tried to succeed as a country singer. After two poorly selling albums (Down to Earth sold under 500 copies), he moved to Key West, where his career took off. His first hit single "Come Monday" reached number 30 on the Billboard Singles chart, a feat he would only surpass with his most successful song "Margaritaville", his only top 10 hit (it peaked at #8).

Buffett maintained a strong fan following by performing tirelessly and by cultivating a fun atmosphere at his concerts. The term "Parrothead", used to describe his fans, was coined by Eagles' member Timothy B. Schmidt, when he saw a fan at a Cincinnati, Ohio, concert dressed in feathers (Parrot-) and it reminded him of the feeling of a Grateful Dead concert (-head from Deadhead).

Buffett's music shows influences from New Orleans, the Caribbean, rock, and country. His band, the Coral Reefers, has been performing with him for over thirty years. Buffett has released over thirty albums, and he has opened several Margaritaville restaurants and stores in the U.S. and Jamaica. He has written two best-selling fiction works (Where is Joe Merchant? and Tales from Margaritaville), as well as his description of his Caribbean journey for his fiftieth birthday (A Pirate Looks at Fifty), and two childrens books. He remains one of the top ten touring acts in the U.S., selling out nearly every concert he performs.