Coral Reefer Band

This band was the backing band for the singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett for several decades. Initially a fictional band made up of the members Kitty Litter, Al Vacado, Kay Pasa and Marvin Gardens, they soon became a “real” band that have since accompanied Jimmy Buffett in his recordings and many tours and concerts.

Their name is taken from coral reefs and reefers can be taken to mean a sailor, in line with the Jimmy Buffett persona, or used as slang for marijuana.

The many album recordings they can be heard on, which are at least 25, include Havana Daydreamin’, Living & Dying in 3/4 Time, Son of a Son fo a Sailor, License to Chill and Take the Weather With You.

They have had many members over the years, which are listed below, and also many artists that have become honorary members through appearing with them either in the recording studio or on the stage.

Past and Present Members and Musicians
Dr, Kino Bachellier (shakers)
Tom Ball (harmonica)
Frank Bama (backing vocals)
Roger Bartlett (guitar/vocals)
Anita Bell (backing vocals)
M.L. Benoit (backing vocals/percussion/congas)
Errol “Crusher” Bennett (percussion/congas)
Lea Jane Berinati (backing vocals)
Matt Betton (saxophone/drums)
Alex Blake (bass)
Bekka Bramlett (backing vocals)
Bonnie Bramlett (backing vocals)
David Briggs (piano)
Paulette Brown (backing vocals)
Brenda Bryant (backing vocals)
David Bryant (backing vocals)
Freddie Buffett (backing vocals)
Jimmy Buffett (vocals)
Savannah Jane Buffett (percussion)
Kathy Burdick (vocals)
Danny Burns (bass/backing vocals)
Keneth “Barfullo” Buttrey (drums/congas)
Larry Byrom (electric guitar)
Juan Cadiz (backing vocals)
Diana Canova (backing vocals)
Buzz Cason (backing vocals/keyboards)
Barry Chance (guitar)
Marshall Chapman (backing vocals)
Sam Clayton (percussion/congas/backing vocals)
Vassar Clements (fiddle)
Tommy Cogbill (bass)
Bob Cook (guitar/bass/harmonica)
Dominic Cortese (accordion)
Sammy Creason (drums)
Steve Cropper (electric guitar)
Claudia Cummings (vocals)
Harry Dailey (bass/backing vocals)
Jackie Dangler (pans)
George Doring (guitar)
Donald Douglas (banjo/ukulele)
Tim Drummond (bass)
Donald “Duck” Dunn (bass)
James Elmer (bass pipe)
Alan Estes (percussion)
Phillip Fajardo (drums)
Lanny Fiel (guitar/electric guitar/slide guitar/piano)
Rick Fiel (bass guitar)
Venetta Fields (backing vocals)
Freddy Fishstick (piano/vibraphone/mandolin/trombone)
Thomas Flora (backing vocals)
Frank Floyd (backing vocals)
Steve Forman (percussion/shakers)
Lennie Gallant (vocals)
Don Gant (backing vocals)
Marvin Gardens (fictional musician on maracas/beer cans)
Michael Gardner (drums)
Johnny Gimble (fiddle)
Bob Glaub (bass)
Steve Goodman (guitar)
Randy Goodrum (keyboards)
Emory Gordy (bass)
Willie Green (drums)
Robert Greenidge (steel drums/percussion)
Doyle Grisham (steel guitar/pedal steel guitar)
Tina Gullickson (vocals)
Roger Guth (drums)
Dave Haney (bass)
Julie Harkness (dancer)
Diane Harris (backing vocals)
Mary Harris (vocals)
Carl Hiaasen (claps)
Wes Hightower (vocals)
Carl Himmel (drums)
Yvonne Hodges (vocals)
Ginger Holladay (backing vocals)
Brie Howard (percussion/vocals)
Dena Iverson (vocals)
David Jackson (upright bass)
John Jarvis (keyboards/synthesiser)
Michael Jeffry (vocals)
Sarah Johns (backing vocals)
Daryl Johnson (bass)
Bill Jones (recorder)
Shane Keester (Moog synthesiser)
Louisa Kendrick (dancer)
Will Kimbrough (guitar)
Tim Krekel (guitar)
Russell Kunkel (drums/percussion)
Sonny Landreth (guitar/slide guitar)
Nicolette Larson (vocals)
David Lasley (backing vocals)
Lenny LeBlanc (backing vocals)
Amy Lee (saxophone)
Larry Lee (backing vocals)
Josh Leo (guitar)
Darell Leonard (bugle/trumpet)
Kitty Litter (fictional backing singer)
David Loggins (backing vocals)
John Lovell (trumpet)
Ralph MacDonald (percussion)
Katherine Maisnik (vocals)
Jim Mayer (bass)
Peter Mayer (vocals/guitar)
Mac McAnally (vocals/guitars)
Deborah McColl (backing vocals)
Hugh McCracken (acoustic guitar/slide guitar/harmonica)
Arnold McCuller (backing vocals)
Jerry McGee (guitar)
Andy McMahon (Fender Rhodes/organ)
Vince Melamed (keyboards/synthesiser)
Marcus Miller (bass)
Jeff Miranoff (electric guitar)
T.C. Mitchell (flute/saxophones)
Johnny Montezuma (multi-instruments)
Carol Montgomery (backing vocals)
Thom Mooney (drums)
Farrell Morris (percussion/congas)
Teddy Mullet (trombone)
Penny Nichols (backing vocals)
Mark O’Connor (violin)
Bobby O’Donovan (violin/penny whistle)
Jay Oliver (keyboards)
Joe Osborne (bass)
John Padilla (saxophone)
Kay Pasa (fictional bass player)
Bill Payne (keyboards)
Heather Perry (dancer)
Jim Photoglo (backing vocals)
George Porter (bass)
Billy Puett (horn/recorder/flute)
Norbert Putnam (bass/upright bass)
Angel Quinones (percussion/congas)
Jocelyne Ranucci (French spoken vocals)
Zachary Richard (Acadian accordion)
Phil Royster (congas)
Timothy B. Schmit (bass/backing vocals)
Nadira Shakoor (vocals)
Jake Shimbakuro (ukulele)
Lee Sklar (bass)
G.E. Smith (guitar/vocals)
J.D. Souther (backing vocals)
Jay Spell (piano/keyboards)
Harry Stinson (Backing vocals)
Brian Stoltz (guitar)
Joe Sublett (tenor saxophone)
Keith Sykes (guitar)
Paul Tabet (drums)
Alex Taylor (backing vocals)
Ben Taylor (vocals)
Greg “Fingers” Taylor (harmonica)
Hugh Taylor (backing vocals)
Richard Tee (piano)
Bobby Thompson (banjo)
Harvey Thompson (saxophone)
Pam Tillis (backing vocals)
Michael Tschudin (keyboards/mallet kat)
Wilfred Tuitt (guitar)
Travis Turk (drums/kazoo)
Michael Utley (keyboards)
Al Vacado (fictional drummer)
Hank De Vito (pedal steel guitar)
Wendy Waldman (backing vocals)
Billy Joe Walker (guitar)
Cindy Walker (backing vocals)
Willie Weeks (bass)
Bergen White (backing vocals/trombone)
Buddy Williams (drums)
Ed “Lump” Williams (bass guitar)
Rachel Wilson (backing vocals)
Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
Nicky Yarling (violin/vocals)
Andrew Young (tenor & alto saxophone)
Reggie Young (electric guitar)

Honorary members and Guest Artists/Musicians
Al Anderson (guitar)
David Angell (strings)
Ian Ball (vocals as part of guest group Gomez)
Bankie Banx (vocals, guitar, harmonica)
Helen Duncan Bernard (backing vocals)
Clint Black (vocals)
Ed Bradley (vocals/tambourine)
Tony Brown (piano)
Mike Burch (drums)
Gene Van Buren (backing vocals)
Ed Calle (horn)
Tony Cedras (accordion)
Kenny Chesney (vocals)
Tony Concepcion (horn)
Rita Coolidge (vocals)
David Crosby (vocals)
Sheryl Crow (backing vocals)
Beverly Dahlke-Smith (bassoon/piccolo)
Eric Darken (percussion)
David Davidson (violin)
Phyllis Duncan (backing vocals)
Stewart Duncan (fiddle)
John Edwards (backing vocals)
Conni Ellisor (strings)
Elo Ferrier (vocals/guitar)
Harrison Ford (whip)
Glenn Frey (vocals/guitar)
Janie Fricke (backing vocals)
Tom Gray (vocals as part of guest group Gomez)
Nanci Griffith (vocals)
Carmen Grillo (backing vocals)
Jim Grosjean (strings)
Jack Hale (Memphis Horns)
Deborah Hall (backing vocals)
Mickey Hart (drums)
Roger Hawkins (drums)
Don Henley (concert act)
Jim Hoke (flute/saxophone/clarinet/accordion)
David Hood (bass guitar)
Jim Horn (tenor saxophone)
Bruce Hornsby (piano/vocals)
Alan Jackson (vocals/guitar)#
Wayne Jackson (Memphis Horns/trumpet/trombone)
Birch Johnson (horns)
Jack Johnson (vocals)
Henry Kapono (vocals)
John Kay (vocals)
Toby Keith (vocals)
John Ketchings (cello)
Earl Klugh (guitar)
Mark Knopfler (guitar)
Andrew Love (Memphis Horns/saxophone)
Lew Marini (horns)
David Matthews (vocals)
Martina McBride (vocals)
Bill Miller (flute)
Aaron Neville (backing vocals)
Art Neville (backing vocals/electric piano)
Charles Neville (saxophone)
Cyril Neville (percussion/backing vocals)
Vincent Nguini (guitar)
Roy Orbison (backing vocals)
Ben Ottewell (vocals as part of guest group Gomez)
Sid Page (strings)
Jack Pearson (guitar/slide guitar)
Ernie Ranglin (guitar)
David Ranson (bass)
Alan Rubin (horns)
Marc Savoy (accordion)
Paul Simon (vocals)
Pamela Sixfin (strings)
Todd Snider (vocals/guitar)
Buster Somar (harmonica)
Carol Steele (shekere)
Dr. Charles Steinberg (organ)
Steven Stills (vocals)
George Strait (vocals/guitar)
James Taylor (vocals/backing vocals)
Sally Taylor (vocals)
Christian Teal (violin)
Gary Topper (Memphis Horns)
Grover Washington Jr. (horns)
Kristin Wilkinson (viola)
Brian Wilson (vocals)
Steve Winwood (organ)
Bill Withers (vocals)
David Woodford (soprano saxophone)

Jimmy Buffett recordings
Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes (Jimmy Buffett)
Cheeseburger in Paradise (Jimmy Buffett)
Havana Daydreamin’ (Jimmy Buffett)
Hello Texas (Bryan Collins/Robby Campbell)
Margaritaville (Jimmy Buffett)

Sources:

Coral Reefer Band

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