Once a Journalist Always a Journalist: Behind Jimmy Buffetts Visit to Cuba for Pope John Paul II

Before Jimmy Buffett was sailing easy and playing music, he was a journalist for Billboard in Nashville, Tennessee. However, his full-time journalism career only lasted for about a year, as his music career quickly took off after college. Though he never truly let go of the craft, as he wrote an enormous story for Rolling Stone in 1998. Funny enough, it hardly had anything to do with music.

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Buffett always prided himself as a writer. Whether it be songs, books, articles, or journals, Buffett was all about traveling, living to tell the tale, and documenting it so he could share it with others. That being so, in 1998, Rolling Stone gave Buffett a press pass so he could go see and cover Pope John Paul II’s historic visit to Cuba. Random, yes, of course. However, the best stories typically are.

Cuba, The Pope, and The Good Altar Boy Jimmy Buffett

Pope John Paul II visited Cuba in 1998 in order to re-strengthen the presence of the Catholic church, which had been diminished thanks to the religious oppression brought on by communist rule. Interesting, right? Well, Buffett thought so too, and consequently, he traded his guitar to RS for a press pass and sailed to Cuba from his home in Florida in order to see the religious and political crossroads the Pope’s visit would entail.

In an unknown interview recently resurfaced by @pirateslookat40, Buffett stated, “As a good Altar boy, I’ve come to see the Pope, and I have a job, I’m actually covering it for Rolling Stone.” “I’m actually doing a daily journal that I’m emailing back. We came from Key West on our boat over, and I was in Cuba about 10 to 12 years ago, and I’ve always been fascinated by it, and so for my Caribbean roots and for my Altar boy roots, I find myself in Havana to see the Pope.”

Buffett never did meet John Paul II, but he did complete his job. Rolling Stone published Buffett’s diary-style article titled “The Altar Boy and The Pope” on March 19, 1998. Buffett’s article is epic, sprawling, and tackles themes ranging from religion to commercial tourism. Needless to say, it is worth the read.

Yet again, Jimmy Buffett’s past proves that he is the coolest dude to have ever graced the music industry, and also just one of the most fascinating dudes to ever do it.

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