A pirate looks at the end of summer

There are two kinds of people in the world — those who are Parrotheads and those who aren’t.

Those who loyally follow Jimmy Buffett and his Coral Reefer Band can trace many points in their lives back to concerts, album releases and other Buffett-powered occasions.

“I remember hearing the song ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise,’ when it was originally released on the radio when I was in grade school,” said Shelly Good-Cook of Alexandria, Va. “I’ll be at the Labor Day weekend show … at Nissan Pavilion, and in the 24 years that have passed since my first JB show, I’ve probably been to 20 shows.”

When Good-Cook attends this weekend’s show, it will be special because she and her husband will introduce their young daughters — ages 5 and 6 — to Buffett concerts. They’ll be in good company. Most of the fans, Buffett has said, are families/professionals by day and turn into colorful, tropically dressed concert attendees for his shows.

In a way, their transformations somewhat echo Buffett’s own. The Mississippi-born artist was a country singer/songwriter in the early 1970s when he first went to Key West. Soon he moved there and adopted the casual beach lifestyle, which is reflected in his music.

Coral Reefer Band member Mac McAnally, a lauded singer/songwriter/ and producer, said that Buffett’s persona is not a faade. After meeting him in the mid ’70s Buffet — who had just released the album “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” which includes Buffett’s now trademark song “Margaritaville” — invited him to collaborate. They work together to this day.

“That was a big positive for me in the music business,” said McAnally. “A lot of folks in this business don’t mean what they say, but [Buffett] does and we are just as loyal to him.”

That loyalty, said McAnally, is reflected in how Buffett relates to his audiences.

“That’s the ability that got Jimmy to where he is now,” said McAnally, who is working with Buffet on several projects including his new album “Buffet Hotel,” which is scheduled for November release. “He’s always had the ability to connect with a crowd, and the crowds grew and grew and grew. He’s still basically having a one-on-one conversation [with his audience] but now it’s [sometimes] with 25,000 people.”

That friendly attitude is what makes Buffett, who has recorded more than 40 records most of which have gone Gold, Platinum or Multi-Platinum, a top draw.

Geno Michellini was a DJ in Sacramento, Calif., in 1975 when he first met Buffett. They’ve remained friends through the years.

“I can say with certainty that what you see is what you get,” said Michellini of Buffett. “This is a man who believes life, with all its ups and downs, is meant to be a carnival ride … It’s about enjoying life.”