Q&A Jimmy Buffett

By Sora Song

For the first time in his 34-year career, Margaritaville singer Jimmy Buffett last week scored the top spot on the Billboard chart, with his new country-influenced album License to Chill.

Can you believe your album is at No. 1? It's kinda funny, isn't it? I had to stop and think, "You're kidding me." As a friend of mine once said, "You never know what the public is going to buy."

You're outselling Usher and Avril Lavigne. I couldn't tell you who half these people are. My kids were very impressed that I outsold Usher. And then they showed me who he was. I said, "Oh, I get it. Is he a rapper?"

Are you as much a slacker as you seem? There were points where I was slacking a little more than working, but I always kicked myself in the ass. I didn't want to wind up being a two-hit wonder. I always worked, but I never worked in long pants or shoes. You could probably call those boundaries.

You've tried country music before? I went to Nashville first. I had my first couple of albums out of there. I had fun, but nobody else got it.

Think you'll try it again? If the wave's still there, I'll ride it. But another album really isn't on my radar. In the normal music business, people would be getting ready for what's coming next, but I never was in the normal music business.