Documentary ‘First Coral Reefers’ Revisits 1970s Chaos, Creativity in Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville

Filmmaker John H. Cunningham

Before Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville empire and even before the Parrotheads, there was the original, unruly Coral Reefers. The early period of Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefers (1970s-80s) is explored in the documentary “Occupational Hazard: The First Coral Reefers.”

Narrated by Jeff Bridges, the film screens in select Southland theaters this week, including Pasadena and Santa Monica. (For the theater schedule click here.) A TVOD/ digital release will follow in October-November.

Filmmaker John H. Cunningham captures the camaraderie, chaos, and magic of an era that thrived on freedom and flouted the rules. Never-before-seen archival footage and interviews include founding members, tour managers, producers and music legends.

“The origin story of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band is fundamental for anyone interested in the history of music in this country,” said Cunningham.

“Long before the polished, world-renowned band that fans came to know …  there was the original cast of fun-loving, irreverent, hard-partying musicians.”

Laying the Foundation for Touring Bands

Jimmy Buffett and The Coral Reefer Band in Cincinnati (Photo: Chris Lauber)

In the 1970s, the hard-partyers “laid the foundation for what would become one of the longest-running, most prolific, and successful touring acts in rock and roll history,” he said.

The original Coral Reefers were as unpredictable as they were talented. Long before the polished, professional band audiences came to know over the decades, the early Coral Reefers were young musicians navigating chaos, creativity, and constant uncertainty. Their stories may surprise even lifelong Buffett fans.

The 1970s and early ’80s were a different era for touring musicians, and the film captures the excesses and the artistry of that time. Viewers will learn how many of Buffett’s defining songs and albums came together, and how he fought the music industry to record with his own band.

Interviewees also reveal how Buffett’s desire for success ultimately forced out people who helped lay the foundation for his sound. Buffett eventually recorded 32 studio albums, 14 live albums and 11 compilations over a 50-year career.

“The music that defined his concerts largely came from this remarkable early period,” said Cunningham.

Young Musicians on the Road

Through “Occupational Hazard,” fans get an entertaining look at those early years. while “reshaping the narrative of how Jimmy Buffett became the cultural icon he would eventually become.”

Life on the road was “raw, unpredictable, and often broke,” Cunningham said. “Jimmy and the band were simply young musicians chasing a dream, embracing adventure wherever it led. Sometimes they looked like rising stars; sometimes they looked like shooting stars. Either way, they kept moving forward.”

Buffett died in 2023, leaving a billion-dollar Margaritaville empire of restaurants, resorts, food products, beer, and tequila. Still, many fans know him simply for the Parrothead community of parties, grass skirts, and coconut bras.

“Whether audiences are devoted fans, lovers of 1970s music, or discovering Buffett for the first time, I hope they leave with a deeper appreciation for how Key West shaped his artistic vision,” says the filmmaker.

And, “how the original Coral Reefers forged the band’s signature sound, and how those early years laid the foundation for everything that followed.”

“Occupational Hazard: The First Coral Reefers” premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2026 and has gone on to accumulate accolades across on the festival circuit. For more information about the film, screenings and the upcoming digital release, go to “Occupational Hazard.”

Southern California Screenings

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