Jimmy Buffett enjoying career renaissance

updated 3:05 p.m. ET Oct. 5, 2004

NEW YORK - Jimmy Buffett is far from “wasting away in Margaritaville.” At 57, he continues to tour and record, with no plans to slow down.

“Well, I always said that I wouldn’t use a teleprompter and if I start to sing real flat, I’ll hang it up,” the singer says in an interview on CBS’ “60 Minutes” to air Wednesday night. “I’m having more fun now.”

Early in his career, Buffett wanted to be a country singer. He moved to Nashville, Tenn., where he wrote for Billboard magazine.

He relocated to Key West, Fla., in the early 1970s and adopted his laid-back, toes-in-the-sand persona. His songs include “Margaritaville” and “Cheeseburger in Paradise.”

Now Buffett has a new relationship with country music. He won a Country Music Award this year for his collaboration with Alan Jackson on “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” and recruited some of country music’s biggest names to help him record “License to Chill,” which includes a cover of Hank Williams’ “Hey Good Lookin.”’

“I love the fact that we chose a Hank Williams song, put a little bit of a Cajun, zydeco feel to it and got Hank Williams back on the country charts today,” Buffett said. “I ... think Hank would like that.”

Did country music rediscover Buffett or did Buffett rediscover country music?

“I think (country music) rediscovered me,” he said. “I really don’t think I changed much.”

He added: “I’m still here. Didn’t have to go to rehab and I’m not broke.”

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