Occupational Hazard The First Coral Reefers traces the origins and evolution of Jimmy Buffett’s original Coral Reefer Band during the 1970s and early 1980s and premieres at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 9, with a second screening on February 13. Narrated by Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges, the film features commentary from Kenny Chesney, Mac McAnally, songwriter Keith Sykes, and original Coral Reefer members and crew.
The documentary centers on the first Coral Reefers, a group whose chemistry and creative drive helped define Buffett’s most iconic early work. Directed by John H. Cunningham, the film reflects decades of personal connection to the band and to Buffett, beginning with shared time in the Florida Keys during the 1970s.
“I first saw Jimmy and the Coral Reefers in 1977 and then moved to Key West shortly thereafter,” Cunningham says. “Once we started the interviews, their collective sentiments about life in the 70s, their time on the road, in the studio and their feelings about Jimmy, I knew we had captured lightning in a bottle.” His goal centers on preserving the band’s origin story and honoring how Key West shaped their lives and music.
Set largely in Key West, the film explores how the island’s rhythm and creative spark shaped both sound and mindset. Through rare archival footage and deeply personal interviews with founding members, tour managers, producers, and music legends, the story captures camaraderie, chaos, and freedom without a rulebook.
From early road gigs and dive-bar rehearsals to the first major studio albums, the film charts the rise, strain, and transformation that followed. It stands as an enthusiastic, clear-eyed tribute to Buffett and the original Coral Reefers, the people and places that shaped them, and the musical moment that built the foundation of the Parrot Head legacy.