Jimmy Buffett brings to mind images of conch shells, tropical-print shirts, sunny beaches, and warm sand -- not exactly a snapshot of Canada's Atlantic coast.
But the island-flavoured singer says he has a close connection to Canada, its vibrant music and rugged coastline -- an affection that's largely escaped the public's notice.
"I have my own Canadian lineage," said Buffett, 57, in a phone interview from Long Island, N.Y. "Canada holds a special place in my heart. Most of my family's still up there."
During his rambles into Nova Scotia and Newfoundland over the last two years, Buffett says visiting and fishing topped his agenda.
"I've got more family in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia than I do in the States," he explained.
This probably explains why Buffett has such fondness for Canadian songwriters. His most recent album, License to Chill, features two tracks penned by Bruce Cockburn, Anything Anytime Anywhere and Someone I Used to Love.
"I have always been a Bruce Cockburn fan from Wondering Where the Lions Are. And actually, I've done two songs before," Buffett said of 2002's All the Ways I Want You and Pacing the Cage in 1999.
"I've always leaned toward Canadian songwriters from Gordon Lightfoot to Lennie Gallant, and Jesse Winchester is an old friend of mine who lives in Montreal. So I've always kind of been keeping a keen ear to the north."
License to Chill was a labour of love for Buffett, allowing him to team up with some of the hottest stars in country music, but it's not his first foray into that arena. Two previous albums with country undertones, Riddles in the Sand and Last Mango in Paris, didn't enjoy the commercial success that License has experienced, but they whet his appetite to try again.
The gamble has paid off. License to Chill debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart.