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Former Buffett Guitarist, Songwriter Tim Krekel Dies


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By Paula Burba • THE COURIER-JOURNAL

Tim Krekel, a musician whose career started in Louisville before he was a teenager and soared to two stints as lead guitar for Jimmy Buffett's band and a reputation in Nashville as a hit songwriter, died Wednesday afternoon at his Louisville home. He was 58.

Krekel died of cancer, which he had been fighting since a diagnosis and surgery in March, according to his family.

"He had a major, successful career, but he was still based here. He's just a hometown boy," said friend John Gage.

Krekel "had a way of writing and performing and singing that just put people in touch with a more spiritual sense. He was all about that," Gage said.

Stacy Owen, program director at WFPK-FM, where Krekel was a perennial favorite of listeners, said Krekel "did so much to champion the local music scene."

"I'm sure if you talked to a lot of local musicians here in town, they would consider Tim a mentor," Owen said.

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Cancer damn you. A few in my family have been through the big C, it sucks. RIP Tim.

That, it does. I lost my oldest brother to it earlier this year. Then again, he never really made any effort to stop smoking which made it all the more frustrating for those of us that cared for him. I realize no one here except maybe you has probably even heard of him but Duane Jarvis died of cancer earlier this year as well.

Tim was only with Buffett for a short while (the Son of a Son of A Sailor album and he appeared with him on SNL in the 70s) but if not for his tenure in the Coral Reefer Band I probably would have never heard of him. Strange, I posted his obit on a Buffett board on the day he died and the board owner openly admitted he had no clue who Tim Krekel was. At least he was honest. It just surprises me that anyone that considers themselves a Jimmy Buffett fan wouldn't know about Tim Krekel. The Coral Reefer Band lineup has been pretty steady for a good number of years now but for a time it was a revolving cast of characters both on record and on tour. Everyone from Vassar Clements and Reggie Young to Keith Sykes have passed through it's ranks. Thanks to those folks (and Buffett himself) I got turned onto a lot of other artists through the years. The shortlist includes Jesse Winchester, Willis Alan Ramsey, Steve Goodman and Jerry Jeff Walker but I could name many more.

By the way, Tim's son Jason has a band called the Mad Tea Party who are well worth checking out.

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That, it does. I lost my oldest brother to it earlier this year.

Sad to read that. A drink just tipped to your bro :( . My Mom is a breast cancer survivor and I walk every year when the time comes. I walk in the aids walks too. Fuckin' diseases should be cured by now.

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