I have just returned from Key West. While in town and riding around on a moped, Steve Huntington from Radiomargaritaville and I stopped in at the lighthouse to hear the likes of John Reno http://www.johnreno.com/home.html and Kelly McGuire http://www.redfishisland.com/ for a few minutes. There was a rather large crowd on hand enjoying the show. As soon as the first song ended I heard “Ladies and Gentlemen, we just heard that Captain Tony has died. The entire audience hushed and an erie silence fell over the crowd. Wow.
Just days before when I landed in Key West I headed over to Captain Tony’s bar http://www.capttonyssaloon.com/ to see if he was signing books. We were told he was in the hospital over at the Lower Keys Medical Center. I was disappointed as I really wanted a signed book. Worse yet the man was in the hospital and we would not able to see him. I had gotten used to seeing him around town each year during my visits. 92 years old and quite the Key West legend, he was always cool to be around.
On Sunday afternoon as I enjoyed my annual ritual of the Sunny Jim jamfest at Blue Heaven http://blueheavenkw.homestead.com/Blue_Heaven_Restaurant_Key_West.html I saw the author of the new Tony Tarracino book “Life Lessons of a Legend.” Brad Menard. http://www.amazon.com/Life-Lessons-Legend-Bradley-Manard/dp/1439202222 I got my copy of the book signed and took the picture above in front of an old campaign board for Captain Tony for mayor. That’s Brad in the tropical shirt on the front porch of Blue Heaven.
Sunday morning I talked with Mike Utley and Tina Gulickson just as they caught a taxi for the airport. We were the only three in the lobby of the hotel so I asked Mike if they were headed for Tampa to join Jimmy on stage for the Obama rally. He said yes.
There would be about 45 minutes or so of music at the rally. Here is a link to a video of Jimmy’s tribute to Captain Tony last Sunday afternoon in Tampa. It’s the song he wrote with Mike Utley and Marshall Chapman for him quite a few years ago, 1985 in fact, “Last Mango in Paris.”
Hats off for Captain Tony. I’ll return later this week with a long list of pictures and stories from my trip. Until then, I’ll see you down the road.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGimjHcOq-U
A public viewing for Captain Tony is scheduled from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Dean Lopez Funeral Home on Simonton Street in Key West.
On Saturday, an 11 a.m. funeral Mass at St. Mary Star of the Sea church will be followed by a 1 p.m. reception for family members and his many friends at Captain Tony’s Saloon.
I went down to Captain Tony’s
To get out of the heat
Then I heard a voice call out to me
“Son come have a seat”
I had to search my memory
As I looked into those eyes
Our lives change like the weather
But a legend never dies
He said I ate the last mango in Paris
Took the last plane out of Saigon
Took the first fast boat to China
And Jimmy there’s still so much to be done.