INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis native Tom Battista has brought several new businesses to the city in the last decade, but his day job keeps him away from his hometown for weeks at a time.
"I get the cheeseburger thing all mixed up about pickles and relish or whatever," he said. "He makes fun of me all the time about that."
Battista may not know the words to "Cheeseburger in Paradise," but he's helped one of rock 'n' roll's most recognizable names tour for nearly half his life.
"I work for Jimmy Buffett, so I've worked for him for 29 years now," said Battista, Buffett's stage manager.
He's also worked tours for the funk band Parliament, David Bowie and helped build the once-popular music venue in New York City, The Bottom Line, in the 1970s.
Battista stuck as Buffett's stage manager in the early '90s and touring has allowed him to see the world.
"We never do back-to-back shows, we always have days off," he said. "In all these cities I could go around and explore the city, find these art houses and go to a movie in the afternoon or at night."
When Battista is not on tour, he's always working to better his hometown.
"For our city is why I'm here. When I see our city doesn't have something, we'll come up with the idea and I'm kind of like a dog with a bone. I just won't give it up," Battista said. "I'll just stay on, stay on, and stay on until it actually happens, and that's kind of what's happened multiple times."
Battista opened Amelia's bakery and Bluebeard restaurant in Fletcher Place nearly a decade ago.
This past year, Battista has opened the Kan-Kan cinema and brasserie and another Amelia's in Windsor Park.
"We're not ruthless and we're not greedy, but we want things to be the best," Battista said.
This summer, he will be back touring with Buffett again.
"I love it because it also has allowed me to do things like this theater, this restaurant," he said. "If it weren't for that, I couldn't have been involved in this."