Having performed with Jimmy Buffett at varying intervals over the course of the past five decades, the Coral Reefer Band members know that the man behind “Margaritaville” was no quitter — and neither are they. Nearly two months have passed since the musician died at the age of 76, and now the band is looking toward their future without him, fully inspired by the vision he would want them to follow.

“The Coral Reefer Band is second family to all of us. We are a family. And Jimmy wants us to continue and we want to continue,” Coral Reefer Band singer and guitarist told Billboard. “There’s ongoing discussions about the best way to do that, the most practical way to do that and how to do it in a way that is worthy of the legacy that we’re part of.”

Having performed with Buffett in the studio and on the road since the Seventies, the Coral Reefer Band has never had to imagine what their musicianship would look like without him. They still aren’t certain of the form it will take, but they were left with a parting message from Buffett to “keep the party going” and an audience of enthusiastic fans.

“We’re going to figure it out and we’re going to do something,” McAnally added. “Whatever the best equation arrives from those discussions is what we’re going to do. I can’t wait until we [figure it out] because we miss being out there, playing his songs to people and feeling that alternating current go back and forth from the stage to the crowd. I don’t know who’s got more energy, them or us.”

Even while Buffett was being treated for Merkel cell skin cancer, he would make his way to a stage, only for a few moments, if it meant he could perform for his fans and feed off of their energy. Recalling a New York performance where Buffett made a surprise appearance, McAnally said: “We played ‘5 O’Clock Somewhere’ and when it got to [the line], ‘What would Jimmy Buffett do?,’ nobody knew that he was there. Nobody knew and he walked out from behind the stage. It was maybe 400 people there and they all came up out of their seat. It was like somebody hit them with 220 volts.”

Back in 2020, Buffett spoke with Rolling Stone about his life and legacy — and how he wants to be remembered. “I’d say “He had a good time and made a lot of people happy” would be good,” he shared about what he would like people to say about him in his absence. “Yeah, that’d be good.”