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With an easygoing tropical groove, sharp original hooks, and guest spots from rock royalty, Champaign-Urbana’s premier Jimmy Buffett tribute outfit takes its sound far beyond Duval Street.

Howie Golub doesn’t have a single favorite Jimmy Buffett record, but there’s one line that has stayed with him across decades of playing music: “It never is too late to make a brand new start,” from Buffett’s 1999 track “Knees of My Heart.”

Golub provides harmonica, congas, auxiliary percussion, and vocals for The Boat Drunks, a premier tribute band that has entertained crowds across Champaign-Urbana and throughout the country since 2001. Alongside classic Buffett anthems, the group spices up their sets with sun-soaked original songwriting.

Joining Golub onstage are fellow Drunks Jake Tatar (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Mike Miller (bass, guitar, vocals), Andy Gaines (keyboards, backing vocals), Larry Lister (drums), and Michael B. Favreau (saxophone, flutes, woodwinds).

“It’s never too late,” says Golub, a veteran of the Midwestern music circuit since the mid-1970s, including a stint with country-rock outfit Appaloosa. “We look at each other sometimes and go, ‘We never thought it would get this far.’ It’s just been an incredible ride.”

Margaritas, Morning-After Regrets, and Trop-Rock Hooks

The band’s latest milestone is the release of Wahine Man, an energetic collection of original tunes showcasing their musicianship and lyrical range.

The record embraces a quintessential Buffett worldview—tackling life’s curveballs with a frozen drink in one hand and infectious, sing-along hooks in the other. Across the tracklist, The Boat Drunks display plenty of signature tongue-in-cheek humor: recipe tips for the perfect tequila pour on “Tangy Margaritas,” or reminders to slow down and savor the ride on “Wind It Up.”

Other cuts explore the carefree joy of a brief fling (“Torrid Affair”), the spiritual test of showing up for Sunday morning service after a Saturday night bender (“Hypo-Christian”), and good-natured ribbing at aging rockers clinging to fading glory (“Big in Japan”).

While buoyant island rhythms anchor much of Wahine Man, the band stretches out across genres, weaving through driving country rock, straight-ahead rock and roll, and swinging blues. The title track slips into a smooth, late-night lounge groove.

Two songs on the album—“A Pirate on the Caribbean” and the fan-favorite anthem “Hollow Man”—are reworked recordings from their previous release, This Ain’t Duval Street, which moved roughly 2,500 copies. According to Golub, adding Favreau’s saxophone into the core mix and enlisting outside collaborators made re-cutting the songs an easy decision.

The guest roster on Wahine Man carries serious pedigree:

• Doyle Grisham, pedal steel player for Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band
• Billy Payne and Paul Barrere of legendary rock outfit Little Feat
• Quincy Yates of the Knoxville-based trop-rock band St. Somewhere

Golub penned two tracks on the record, “Torrid Affair” and “Wake Up,” noting that the band’s songwriting process usually happens individually before coming together in the studio.

“Everybody writes from their own musical background,” Golub explains. “That’s just where I come from.”

Beyond the Prairibbean

Thanks to regular rotation on SiriusXM’s Radio Margaritaville and an aggressive touring schedule, the band’s profile is expanding well beyond central Illinois Parrot Head clubs.

Steve Huntington, program director for Radio Margaritaville, caught The Boat Drunks performing live in Key West, Florida, which helped open the door to national satellite airplay. The group also signed with Hot Tomato Records—the independent label founded by Little Feat—giving Wahine Man broader retail distribution in major storefronts and specialty shops.

Live performance, however, remains their bread and butter. Jimmy Buffett devotees aren’t known for being wallflowers, and The Boat Drunks thrive on the kinetic energy of an audience forming conga lines, circling the dance floor, and raising glasses to shout “social!” at top volume.

The band frequently shares stages with past and present members of the Coral Reefer Band, creating a collaborative spirit that Golub considers a highlight of the journey.

“We love playing in a larger ensemble, and I think the Coral Reefer guys enjoy the stripped-down, intimate club setting,” he says. “The fans get a real kick out of meeting musicians who’ve played on Jimmy’s records.”

For Golub, The Boat Drunks has provided a renewed musical purpose. Pairing their party-ready shows with local charitable efforts—such as headlining C-U in the Prairibbean, which raised $20,000 to combat Alzheimer’s disease—gives the music a deeper resonance.

“I appreciate this whole experience even more now,” Golub says with a smile. “I’ve been at this a long time in one form or another. To still be out here doing it, and seeing something real and tangible come out of it—you can’t ask for much more than that.”