He’s Not Parroting Anyone: Jimmy Buffett’s Lead Guitarist Has His Own Songs to Sing at Surfside Park
“No, I’m not in a hurry,
There’s no worry on my mind.
“Just I’m off to spend a little time
With some good friends of mine.
“I got the business done,
Gonna wind down with the sun.
“In the sweet light,
Sayin’ Goodnight Virginia.”
– Peter Mayer, “Goodnight Virginia”
Soothing, reflective, and fun, the music and lyrics of Peter Mayer will echo through the night air at Avalon’s Surfside Park on Thursday, Sept. 7 when his concert kicks off festivities for “Pickleball Weekend” and winds down a summer full of music at the outdoor venue.
“The Avalon Library is thrilled to host the Peter Mayer Group at Surfside Park for the last event of the Thursday Concert series,” says Kara Buono, assistant director of programming and engagement at the library. “Mayer has a distinguished career as a guitarist and songwriter, and his music is absolutely beautiful and so unique. It will be an evening to remember at Surfside Park!”
Hosting a musician well-known for mellow, island-infused music certainly feels like the perfect “endless summer” accompaniment to the inaugural Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) New Jersey Classic that will be held at Avalon’s pickleball complex Wednesday through Sunday, Sept. 6-10.
Peter Mayer, Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist
As the lead guitarist of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band for more than 30 years, Peter Mayer has toured the world, played to millions of fans, appeared on television and at the White House. Sharing the stage with luminaries like James Taylor, Paul McCartney, and Don Henley, the Nashville-based Mayer has remained grounded by his passion for the music itself. While he’s grateful for his tenure in the Coral Reefer Band, he is also a prolific singer/songwriter in his own right, with more than 25 albums and a loyal following that’s seen him perform around the world.
In fact, Mayer says that Jimmy Buffett encourages the Coral Reefers to spread their wings beyond the “Parrot” perch. “Jimmy depends on us doing that, to bring something fresh to this gig,” Mayer has said. “I’m just curious in nature. I love to sing, I love to play and I love to write lyrics, too. It’s all just an expression of who I am and what I do. I’d go crazy if I just had one thing. I just don’t want to get stale. Variety brings me peace. Ever since I heard the Beatles and I heard classical music and rock and roll and Bo Diddley, I’m just so jazzed by music – it’s the way I think the world keeps its sanity.”
Peter Mayer, The Origin Story
Mayer’s early years certainly influenced his world view, musical tastes, and inclination for variety. He spent his childhood in Tamil Nadu, India, with seven siblings and his parents, who were Lutheran missionaries. He grew up listening to the sounds of music on his parents’ turntable and at church, where many of the songs included traditional Indian sounds and instruments.
“Growing up in India stirred something in my soul that even now, makes me never want to be too far away from passing on the gifts I was given,” Mayer has shared.
Those early influences are clearly reflected in Mayer’s music. His songs are light and deep. Familiar, yet unique. With instrumentation and melodies that can feel exotic, his songs are grounded by lyrics evoking warmth, love, home.
For Mayer, home would change from India to St. Louis when his family moved back to the U.S. in 1965. Always surrounded by music, he eventually learned guitar and formed a band called PM with his brother, Jim, and their friend, Roger Guth. The group moved to Los Angeles, signed a deal with Warner Bros. records in 1987, and quickly released their first single, “Pieces of Paradise,” which would land at No. 8 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary Chart. When their second single didn’t fare as well, the trio answered the call when they heard Jimmy Buffett was looking for a band.
Though Mayer was initially reluctant, his decision to join Jimmy Buffett’s band would prove to be life-altering. Today, 35 years, hundreds of songs, thousands of shows, and millions of fans later, Mayer is as synonymous with Jimmy Buffett as “Margaritaville.”
And yet, he remains deeply independent and inspired, creating and performing his own music around the world, including Avalon, N.J.
Mayer and the Mayor
While the concert at Surfside Park will be the first time that many concert-goers will see Peter Mayer in Avalon, it will not be his first performance in Avalon. He’s actually performed several times for the local chapter of the Parrothead Club, and has developed a close rapport with John McCorristin, a devoted member of the club and Avalon’s new mayor.
In fact, the Avalon Library’s Kara Buono says it was McCorristin who reached out with the suggestion to bring in Peter Mayer for this summer’s concert series.
“Peter used to put on shows for our club above the Rock’n Chair for years,” explains McCorristin, who’s even hosted Mayer and his bandmates over the years, when they’ve played for the Parrothead Club, or when they have been passing through town.
“He’s a super great guy,” McCorristin relates. “During the day, he would sit and write music continually. He has a huge following and he puts on his own show. It’s not a Jimmy Buffett show. Though it has a mixture of that type of smooth, island music, Peter Mayer’s show is a little calmer and deeper than Jimmy Buffett.”
As both a friend and fan, McCorristin is excited to help introduce Peter Mayer to a bigger audience during Avalon’s endless summer. “People love him, whether they’ve seen him with Jimmy Buffett or on his own,” he says. “It’s going to be a big weekend.”
Peter Mayer Group concert details
Who: Peter Mayer. The lead guitarist for Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band for more than 30 years, Peter Mayer is an accomplished and talented singer, songwriter, and guitarist who has released 25 albums to date and tours year-round with his band, the Peter Mayer Group.
What: FREE Outdoor concert featuring original music.
Where: Surfside Park, 2901 Avalon Ave., Avalon
When: Thursday, Sept. 7, 7pm
Notes:
Venue is outdoors. Seating is first come-first served and on grass. Bring your chairs, towels, or blanket to sit on.
In case of inclement weather, event will be moved into Community Hall, 3001 Avalon Ave.
Peter Mayer Group concert is free and open to the public. No registration required.
