Jimmy Buffetts Coral Reefer Band Prepares Unreleased Posthumous Album

After the final chords of Jimmy Buffett’s career, the Coral Reefer Band is quietly polishing a new treasure trove of unreleased songs.

Mac McAnally, a long‑time bandmate, told Billboard that he and keyboardist Michael Utley are compiling tracks recorded between 2003 and roughly four years ago that never made it onto a studio album. The project follows Buffett’s last release, Equal Strain on All Parts, which debuted on November 3 2023 through Mailboat and Sun Records, two months after the singer’s death from skin cancer.

The collected songs span 15 years of Buffett’s work, with the earliest dating back to 2003 and the newest from about four years prior. None of the recordings appear on any previous Buffett album. McAnally explained that the material includes “things that have never been out” and tracks that were “cut for a one‑off purpose, a TV episode or a movie.”

“We’re pretty excited,” McAnally said. He added that the material is “really good” and that he has been listening to Buffett’s smile in the recordings for three months, joking that he is “almost sore from smiling.” Utley, who served as the band’s musical director and keyboardist, is also involved in the production.

Buffett’s 32nd studio album, Equal Strain on All Parts, contains 14 tracks, including a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Like My Dog.” It was the last project completed before Buffett’s death on September 1 2023.

No release date or title has yet been announced for the new post‑humous album. McAnally said the project is still in the final stages of finishing, and the Coral Reefer Band has not indicated whether the record will be issued through the same labels that handled Equal Strain on All Parts.

The move echoes a broader trend of post‑humous releases that bring previously unreleased material to fans. In Buffett’s case, the songs were recorded over a 15‑year span and were not intended for a standard album release. The decision to compile them now reflects the band’s desire to preserve Buffett’s legacy and provide listeners with new content that reflects his creative output.

The project also underscores the role of the Coral Reefer Band in maintaining Buffett’s musical heritage. After his death, McAnally has taken on leadership of the group, ensuring that the band continues to perform and record, while Utley has stepped back from touring.

As of now, the only confirmed details are that the album will contain unreleased tracks recorded between 2003 and 2020, that McAnally and Utley are producing it, and that no official release date or title has been set. Fans and industry observers will need to wait for a formal announcement from the band or its record partners.

The upcoming release will add to Buffett’s catalog of work that remains available to listeners, offering a new perspective on his songwriting and the breadth of material he produced during his career.