Documentary on Jimmy Buffett’s Original Band Screened at Sarasota Film Festival

A documentary about musicians who backed Jimmy Buffett during the 1970s and early 1980s screened on Tuesday at the Sarasota Film Festival. The film, Occupational Hazard: The Original Coral Reefers, played at New College of Florida's Sainer Pavilion.

Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges narrates it. Director John H. Cunningham made the film to preserve the origin story of Buffett's backing group.

"I first saw Jimmy and the Coral Reefers in 1977, then moved to Key West shortly thereafter," Cunningham said, according to Sarasota Magazine. "Having known many of the [original] Reefers for several years, I felt the band's origin story needed to be preserved."

The documentary also includes commentary from members of the original group and music producer Norbert Putnam, who produced six albums for Buffett, including Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes, which featured the hit "Margaritaville."

Putnam worked with artists including Joan Baez, Roy Orbison, Dan Fogelberg, Linda Ronstadt, and Elvis Presley. The Musicians Hall of Fame inducted him in 2019. The producer helped develop Buffett's island sound in the 1970s. Putnam added wooden flutes, steel drums, and marimbas to create a Caribbean feel.

"Because I wanted to associate Jimmy with the ocean and the Caribbean, I figured what better place for inspiration than Miami," Putnam said to Sarasota Magazine. "We took 40 people down to Miami."

Putnam also recalled when Buffett first presented "Margaritaville" to him. The tune started from an incident when Buffett cut his toe on a beer can after a show in Key West. "He started singing it: 'I'm wasting away in Margaritaville, searching for my lost shaker of salt,'" Putnam said. "God, I wanted to give him a hug."

Cunningham said the interviews revealed stories about life on the road and in the studio during the 1970s. He described the footage as "lightning in a bottle."

The documentary premiered at the Florida Film Festival earlier in April 2026. Fans can watch the trailer and stay updated on future screenings on the documentary's website.