GAINESVILLE, Fla. – If the point of going to college is to acquire yourself a little knowledge, the University of Florida in Gainesville (and a long way from Bourbon Street) has the course for you.
(Un)Common Arts: “Son of a Son of a Sailor” is a new one-credit hour elective that takes a deep dive into the music of Jimmy Buffett, and his influence in Florida.
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The honors class allows UF students to study Buffett’s catalog and learn about the influences behind the music as a way to polish research skills. They are combing through university archives to find everything they can on the numerous concerts Buffett performed in Gainesville over the decades.
Students from different disciplines across the university are sitting in on the class and taking different lessons from Buffett, from his storytelling abilities to his environmental work to his business skills.
The class debuted this semester, roughly one year after the singer-songwriter’s death.
Aug. 30 is also the first Jimmy Buffett Day, and several tributes are being held for the music legend this weekend, including a celebration at Margaritaville Resort in Orlando.
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