Jeff Buckley, son of Tim Buckley, was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. Recognized most for his cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”, Buckley amassed a following in the early 1990s by playing cover songs at venues in Manhattan’s East Village.

On the evening of May 29, 1997, Buckley went swimming fully dressed in Wolf River Harbor, a slack water channel of the Mississippi River, singing the chorus of “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin. The wake of the tug boat had swept him away from shore and under water. His body was found on June 4th.

“A Coat of Butterflies” serves as a sort of love letter from Kevin Morby to Buckley, including many references to Buckley’s career.