Radio Margaritaville

Back in the ’60′s and ’70′s, one of the radical forms of entertainment was pirate radio stations. These were stations that usually operated in the FM frequency range, and had anywhere from a few watts to several kilowatts of power to spread their signal. They could be found in college dormitories, neighborhood garages, and some even off the coast, outside the three mile limit, located on a ship. The main attraction to these stations was the music they played. It was not what you heard on the mainstream AM stations, but it was album-oriented music from mainstream artists. Those pirate stations have disappeared, but have been replaced by stations and people working on the Internet. Some are more popular than others, but one in particular tries to bring back the attitude of the old pirate stations. It is the subject of today’s Family First Site, one that will be near and dear to the hearts of Parrotheads everywhere.

The name of the site is Radio Margaritaville, and is the vision of one Jimmy Buffett. For those who are uninformed, Jimmy has been a major rock’n'roll musician for more than 30 years. His music includes “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes”, “Volcano”, “Come Monday”, and “Son of a Son of a Sailor” are just a few of his hits. His music reflects his carefree, tropical lifestyle, and that is reflected in this site. He created it several years ago to share this lifestyle with his world of fans, affectionately dubbed Parrotheads. Since its inception, it has been available as a streaming feed on the Internet. But last week it became the latest addition to the Sirius Satellite Radio network (Channel 98).
At Radio Margaritaville, you get a healthy dose of Buffett music. But that is not all. According to Jimmy, “It’s like the old pirate radio stations that sat offshore and played what they wanted”. You will hear an eclectic range of music, from The Beach Boys’ “Cool, Cool Water” to the Grateful Dead’s “Ramble On, Rose” to The Rivera’s “Warm California Sun”. Artists such as The Buffalo Springfield, Jim Morris, Dan Fogelberg, Cyndi Lauper, Bonnie Raitt are featured, but the list goes on and on. There are special programs throughout the week, and live Buffett concerts are featured (including the upcoming dates in Chicago’s Wrigley Field, where Jimmy will be the first musician to hold a concert there).
This station is about fun times, fun music, and a healthy dose of “don’t worry, be happy” attitude. You can listen to it on the Internet for free, or on your Sirius Satellite Radio. Where ever you catch it, a good time will be had by all. I have been a Buffett fan since 1976, and am glad to see that he is still making music and people happy.
http://radiomargaritaville.com/