Taunton's BaHa Brothers Performed With Jimmy Buffett

Meeting the people who inspire us to do what we do in life can be among the most rewarding experiences. To actually have an opportunity to practice your craft with those people takes it to an entirely new level.

For Taunton's BaHa Brothers, performing with their idol Jimmy Buffett was such an experience.

The BaHa Brothers formed in 1992. Their first "gig" was Sunday, Sept. 20, at the Polish American Citizens Club in Taunton. Still active today, the band consists of Jay Gonsalves, John Correia, Pete Hebert III, Steve Macomber and Bill Strojny.

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The BaHa Brothers website describes the group as a "summertime band" based in their hometown of Taunton, Massachusetts. The band says, "We are a Jimmy Buffett/Beach Boys-style band, and we mix in songs by other artists that everyone knows."

The BaHa Brothers have performed internationally, including dozens of appearances in the island paradise Key West at Margaritaville and the Hog's Breath Saloon. The band has done Vegas, Nashville, cruise lines, the Tweeter Center (now Xfinity Center and also formerly Great Woods) in Mansfield where they opened for Jimmy Buffett, Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, and even on the waterfront in New Bedford, among other places.

The band members operated Taunton's Sandbar Grill from 2008 until it closed in 2019, often performing there.

Photo Courtesy Amanda Gentile/BaHa Brothers

The most memorable experience for the BaHa Brothers was when they performed with Jimmy Buffett at a private event in Newport, Rhode Island, on Sept. 8, 2012.

Buffett hired the band himself.

Buffett performed the first half of the show with his Coral Reefer Band, including the legendary Mac McAnally, and the second half with The BaHa Brothers.

"The day back in 2012 was just what you would hope it would be," band member Jay Gonsalves said. "Jimmy was funny, gracious and very much as you would imagine he would be.

"Mac, a guy with more CMA (Country Music Association) Awards than anybody, was a humble, great guy who guided us through the day."

Gonsalves added: "We had a ton of laughs onstage and off. Jimmy talked to us like we were old friends. It was perfect."

Jimmy Buffett passed away from a rare form of skin cancer on Sept. 1, 2023. He left behind a treasure trove of memories for all of us, but nothing quite like the memories cherished by the BaHa Brothers.

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The exterior of the house is just as striking, centered around a sparkling pool of deep cobalt blue. The pool area features plenty of lounging, and a loggia just outside the living room offers open-air dining. There are lush gardens, brick paths that walk through elaborate pergolas and a fountain. The property also features a two-car garage with a guest suite overhead, and it offers deeded access to the beach nearby.

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