Michael Utley

Michael Edward Utley (born 1947) is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and musical director for Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band.

Utley was born in Blytheville in Mississippi County, Arkansas.

In 1969, he graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in zoology.

He then debated either taking pre-med lab exam or going to Memphis and help Tony Joe White record his second album and chose the latter.

In college, he was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.

In 1970, Atlantic Records executive Jerry Wexler invited Utley to work at Criteria Studios.

Utley worked with the house band for Atlantic Records in Miami, Florida's Criteria Studios backing performers such as Aretha Franklin, Jerry Jeff Walker, and the Allman Brothers and in California playing with Rita Coolidge and Kris Kristofferson.

Utley continued to work with other performers in the mid-1970s while appearing on Buffett's subsequent albums until Buffett's 1977 breakout Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes when he joined the Coral Reefer Band full-time.

Utley has title credit on several albums, the first being an instrumental record with fellow Coral Reefer Band member Robert Greenidge titled Mad Music.

In 1973, Jerry Jeff Walker recruited Utley to play keyboard instruments on Buffett's first major label album, A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean.

During Jimmy Buffett's 1979 song "Volcano," Utley's name is mentioned.

Right before the first solo, Jimmy Buffett says "Mr. Utley."

This leads into the solo.

Since 1981, he has toured with the Coral Reefers.

Utley's son, Mick, is married to the daughter of Mac McAnally, also a member of the Coral Reefer Band.

Utley has produced or co-produced several of Buffett albums beginning with One Particular Harbour in 1983.

He was recognized by Sigma Chi as a Significant Sig in 2017.