A Spiritual Musical Possession
Cayman Smith-Martin – a spiritual possession
Cayman Smith-Martin had a very special Labor Day weekend celebrating the 1st Anniversary of the passing of Jimmy Buffett at the Just A Few Friends celebration. Cayman warned his audience “You’re not going to hear Margaritaville tonight – you’ll hear it all over town but we’re going to play Buffett roots music.”
Cayman was born to Donna Sunshine Smith and BJ Martin on December 7, 1976 in Georgetown, Cayman Islands. His brother Robin was born in Jamaica. 
Cayman was raised in Key West and graduated from Key West High School in 1994. His father, BJ Martin, was a ganja smuggler in the early Key West smuggling days. While growing up, his family lived in a big mansion across from the Bull & Whistle. In those early years, Jimmy Buffett would play the Bull and Whistle and often crash on their couch.
Cayman Smith-Martin with the Mango Men at Andy’s Cabana
His family is closely connected to Jimmy Buffett, and it seemed like Cayman grew up backstage on Jimmy’s summer tours. He remembers how, when, and, in some cases even why, many of the Buffett songs were written and recorded. Buffett’s songs mention all the familiar places in Key West that Cayman grew up with – Fausto’s, Louie’s Backyard, Caroline Street, etc.
In 1985, Sunshine Smith and Buffet became business partners, opening the first Margaritaville store and selling left over summer tour t-shirts, at first, and later building a huge successful restaurant and hotel empire. When Cayman’s father was incarcerated, Sunshine was alone raising her two sons. At the same time, Jimmy was separated and was raising his daughter. For a number of years, Buffett was a father figure to Cayman and his brother. He would take them on great adventures to exotic places in his seaplane filled with folklore and myths.
When Jimmy got sick, Cayman felt like he needed to call and say “Thank you” for everything he had done for his family. It never worked out so this music tribute was Cayman’s way of saying thank you.
He lived through the many years of love-hate relationships between some members of the Key West music scene and Jimmy Buffett’s music. Cayman did a Buffett tribute show last year at Andy’s Cabana, as Jimmy began what would be his final tour, the Second Wind Tour, February 2023. Cayman asked several Key West musicians to perform special songs that he selected and tailored to their individual musicality. Sam Carlson sang “He Went to Paris”. Nick Brownell performed “Why Don’t We Get Drunk?”. Seth Kessel played “Pencil Thin Mustache” and other friends helped make it very special. Cayman wanted to keep the early Buffett roots classics alive.
Cayman and the Mango Men kiling it! Jeff Clark, Kyle Egert (drums), Cayman, Henry Lysy (bass), Jerome (Fingers Taylor) Millier (harp)
This year’s tribute was much different. Cayman performed all the songs himself. It was the music of someone he knew and loved. While singing some of the songs Cayman could hear Jimmy’s voice. He would remember special things about some of the music such as the song “Desperation Samba”. It had a whip cracking sound at the beginning and end of the song. Jimmy asked his good friend Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones) to come to his Key West studio and record the whip cracking track. Those were special times – “Yo quiero bailar en Mexico”.
During the tribute weekend Just A Few Friends, Cayman played two gigs with the same band Cayman and the Mango Men. Saturday night at the outrageously funky Andy’s Cabana on Petronia Street and Sunday at the famous Green Parrot Soundcheck. I had heard him play many of the songs before but these gigs felt personal, especially the atmosphere of Andy’s Cabana. His performance came from somewhere deep in his soul. Each song was specifically selected in a play list so all his fellow band musicians could rehearse. He advised the audience “Please no requests”. These are the songs I love.
The Green Parrot Soundcheck was a packed house.
The band included Jeff Clark who allows Cayman to take a lot chances with music, the most dependable Henry Lysy was on bass, and they had a new guy drummer Kyle Egert. One of the coolest musical elements was their harpist (harmonica) Jerome Miller. He was the “Fingers” Taylor of the group, providing the almost mandatory howling harmonica sounds on some of the older Buffett riffs. One person in the audience told Cayman, it sounded like he owned the music – He did.
They covered some very early Buffett music like “One Particular Harbor”, “A Pirate Looks at Forty”, “I Have Found Me a Home”, “Woman Goin’ Crazy on Caroline Street”, and many more. Those that came to Key West for the event were the very committed Parrot Heads and most sang along knowing all the words.
Cayman worked for Margaritaville for over 18 years after college, designing and building 67 locations. 
While working he would listen to Buffett music playing in the background almost all the time. It really didn’t sink in until later just how meaningful every word of almost every Buffett song could be. Now that Jimmy is gone, playing his music and singing his songs is almost like a spiritual possession.
Cayman Smith-Martin has written some very good original songs of his own like “Low Country” which was inspired by his days at the Savanah College of Art and Design. He sometimes forgets that most people visiting Key West don’t realize or understand the nature of our true music culture. His father BJ Martin was also a very good guitarist, song writer, musician, and good friend to another Key West music legend Bill Blue, who gave Cayman his first guitar. Music and musicians were always around. Cayman knows many of our musicians that are working hard just to make it today. He understands how Margaritaville affected Key West and how we all live vicariously through Jimmy Buffett’s music.
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