The Eagles Pay Tribute to Jimmy Buffett With 2 Covers at NYC Show
The Eagles paid tribute to Jimmy Buffett at their Madison Square Garden concert in New York City on Sept. 7, performing two covers of the late singer's classics.
In a fan-shared video posted on YouTube, frontman Don Henley said, "Last weekend, we lost a dear friend and the world lost a musical icon—our dear friend Jimmy Buffet."
He then made reference to Buffett's bond with late Eagles band members Glenn Frey and Randy Meisner, saying, "Jimmy Buffett is now sailing on that cosmic ocean, having that cheeseburger with Glenn and Randy."
Henley told the crowd about the band's longtime friendship with Buffett, sharing, "We always liked to say, we always laughed and said, ‘We survived the '70s together.’ And the '80s were rough, too."
He also spoke about Buffett's character, noting, "Jimmy was one of the hardest working men I ever saw, but he made work look like play. He brought joy to everything he did—including the work. And one of his final wishes was that we keep the party going."
The band started off with "Come Monday." Then, before launching into "Fins," lead guitarist Joe Walsh said, "Jimmy and I got thrown out of some of the finest hotels in the world." He honored his late friend by putting on a colorful parrot head hat.
Buffett passed away on Sept. 1 from Merkel cell carcinoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer. The news was confirmed on his social media accounts, with a statement that read: "Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs. He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”
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