By Brian Landa
@BrianLandaLawyer
Key West. Margaritas. Cheeseburgers in Paradise. Iconic Jimmy Buffett imagery. I was fortunate to be at an early screening of a new documentary about Buffett and his band, Occupational Hazard: The First Coral Reefers, at the Dallas International Film Festival 2026. Always strongly programmed with several music documentaries, this twentieth anniversary DIFF year was no exception. Directed by John H. Cunningham and produced by Cunningham and Ted E. Haynes, this film had an amazingly short timeline from development to screen. From concept to locked within a few years. Very rare for most documentary projects.
I will also be writing about a new Kenny Loggins documentary that closed the festival. So much more to that man than people understand. Buffett, however, was very much the personality that we saw in public. This film emphasizes the backup band, known as The Coral Reefers. Of course it’s a play on words. They were formed in the early 1970s. And they definitely enjoyed the green. And the margaritas. And the ocean.
Buffett was a Kappa Sigma in college like me, so we have that in common. But he moved on from Mississippi and that big muddy river to a warmer, more tropical climate, Key West. One of the most diverse and interesting places in the United States. Very open-minded and rainbow friendly. The “anything goes” attitude was good for Buffett’s art. Gonzo writer and all-around eccentric personality Hunter S. Thompson even crashed with him for about a year at his Key West digs.
Jeff Bridges is the fantastic narrator. I have a connection with him as well. Massive family on both sides, which results in a lot of elder cousins. One of them was Jeff and Beau Bridges’ kindergarten teacher. Small crazy world. Bridges’ throws in a lot of The Big Lebowski references. Unlike Jeff Lebowski, Jeff Bridges actually really likes the Eagles. Buffett and the Eagles had the same manager, Irving Azoff.
Buffett and the Reefers were the first American act to record at Sir George Martin’s Air Studios on the volcanic island of Montserrat in the Caribbean, where some of the greatest albums of all time were crafted. Dire Straits Brothers In Arms. The Police recorded both Ghost in the Machine and Synchronicity there, which explains why Sting was there for the “I want my MTV” intro on “Money for Nothing.” Buffett and the Reefers recorded Volcano at Air, naturally.
The substances were plentiful in that building, but they were not free. And the band loved to partake. And apparently they partook a lot. Sir George actually held the Volcano master tapes hostage until the band paid their “bar tab.” Buffett scrambled for a black AMEX and the tapes were handed back without compliment or comment. There’s a fantastic recent documentary specifically about Air Studios called Under The Volcano and they don’t mention Buffett at all. Now I know why.
Without The Coral Reefers, the band would not have that “country meets conch shells” sound, also known as “Gulf & Western” – a nod to Paramount’s former parent company. Some band members were with him for decades. I love the shout outs to the various band members in the song “Volcano” (“Mr. Utley!”) which was of course recorded at Montserrat. One of the lyrics is “I don’t know where I’m a gonna go when the volcano blow.” And eventually it did. That studio is literally history. A fantastic evolution from Abbey Road. Songs recorded there are absolutely timeless. RUSH Power Windows was also recorded there. One of their best.
I never got the chance to see Buffett live, but this film puts you there. It really focuses on the live experience. Although some of the record producers along the way wanted him to use session musicians, he wanted to use his touring Reefers on the albums as well. And that’s why even without applause and such, the music feels vibrant and alive. I bought his Songs You Know By Heart greatest hits collection when I was still in high school, so I’ve known those songs for decades, from partying to personal. The more sensitive story songs are very effective. “A Pirate Looks at 40” and “Changes in Latitudes” have real emotion. On record and live. His followers are known as Parrot Heads and they are legion.
Some of the crowd paid more attention than others at the shows. But in the big picture, it really was and still is about the music. One of the backup singers, a female Reefer, said that it was a blast being on the road, but it was so hard on her body that she checked into an emergency room immediately after getting off the road. She is still with us as of this writing, and the film lovingly commemorates all of the Reefers who have passed on to the coral reef celestial. We lost Buffett at 76 in 2023. The cause was either a cosmic joke or poetic justice. But the music will live on forever.
