When country music’s Eli Young Band was asked who would be their dream addition to their spiritual and beachy older fan favorite “Saltwater Gospel,” they chose musical legend Jimmy Buffett with no hesitation, never believing he’d actually do it. In a dream come true, the iconic singer-songwriter loved the authenticity of the song and agreed, creating a collaboration that’s nothing short of magic!
“The ocean is my potion, it always has been. I’ve spent a lot of time out there saying, ‘What am I doing out here?’ but it’s just as much a part of me. There was an authenticity of what this song was saying. It was very easy to get into and I was honored to do it,” Buffett shared with media.
The anthem was previously released by Eli Young Band years ago and has since been a fan favorite, but the band felt a collaboration on the song could add a special element and who better to do a spiritual beach themed collaboration with than the beach king himself Jimmy Buffett?
“When we started the conversation on who to partner with on this song Jimmy Buffett was number one. They were like, ‘If you could do it with anyone you want who would it be?’ And we were like, ‘Jimmy Buffett of course, but there’s no way he’d say yes. Not a chance,'” Eli Young Band shared.
“On our outlook of it, for years we’ve had Jimmy’s songs in and out of our set list for a long time since we started this band. He’s been a big part of the coming together of our sound and having him a part of this is one of those rock n’ roll dreams come true, to be able to do a song with somebody you look up to and someone who has influenced you as a musician, songwriter and a performer. It really was truly a dream come true.”
Courtesy of The Valory Music Co.
Celeb Secrets had the pleasure of joining the musical icon along with EYB to talk even further about the spirituality of the song, including their enchanting experience recording it in the most fitting place possible — a church!
“We recorded it in a church and we kind of sat at the end of the song there and did the Amen’s like congregation style at Ocean Way Studios.” Jimmy Buffett told Celeb Secrets.
“The song is already such a spiritual song for us but I think it felt even more so when we were sitting in the middle of Ocean Way, which is you know just a big church, and then when we all gathered around the microphone to sing those big ‘Amens’ and those choruses it just felt really special. And there are a lot of reasons we personally connected to this song so much but I think that there are a lot of moments like that that we’ve enchanted with this song that made the song mean so much to us in so many ways,” Eli Young Band said. “And when we we’re doing those big vocals it was like, ‘Hey who’s in the studio? Grab that intern, the engineer, whoever’s around let’s go do this thing together.’ So that kind of made that moment even more special.”
“There’s like this cathedral reverb you get that’s special. When the anthem stops you kind of have that ring that hits the top and comes back at you. It’s that special feeling. It’s kind of captured on the recording but I listen to it and it just takes you right back there.”
Considering “Saltwater Gospel” is already a fan favorite for live shows, Celeb Secrets can only imagine how magical it’ll be once Jimmy Buffett is there to join in for the “Fins Up Edition.” Fans will be in for a live show treat come 2021!
Be sure to give “Saltwater Gospel (Fins Up Edition)” a listen below and be on the lookout for possible tour dates on the horizon for the new year!
