Jimmy Buffett, who parlayed a hit song into the “Margaritaville” lifestyle and business empire, has died at the age of 76, according to a statement posted on his website. The singer, beloved by Parrotheads everywhere, had been ill and in the hospital in recent months.
Sources with direct knowledge told TMZ that they believe Buffett died from skin cancer, with which he was diagnosed four years ago. The disease developed into lymphoma, the sources said, and he began receiving hospice care last Monday. Paul McCartney also reportedly visited Buffett and sang to his family a week ago.
“Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1 surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs,” the announcement read. “He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”
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In May, Buffett tweeted that he had been hospitalized “to address some issues that needed immediate attention.”
“Growing old is not for sissies, I promise you,” he wrote.
Born in Mississippi and raised in Alabama, Buffett made his first album in 1970 and hit it huge with “Margaritaville” in 1977. The singer-songwriter would release more than 50 albums, featuring other iconic songs such as “Cheeseburger in Paradise” and “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere.”
He toured ceaselessly to the delight of fans of his beach-bum vibe. Though he never won a Grammy, his most famous tune was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2016.
Along with the soft-rock hits came the Margaritaville brand, which helped make Buffett a billionaire, according to the Associated Press. The brand has grown to include resorts, a beer brand, ice tea, tequila and rum, home décor, and restaurants such as the Margaritaville Restaurant and the 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill. He also launched Radio Margaritaville online in 1998, which has since been added to Sirius’ satellite.
Buffett also wrote best selling fiction and nonfiction books, appeared on TV and in movies and saw his work become a Broadway musical—Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville, debuted in 2017.
He had a memorable cameo in Jurassic World where he played a “running park visitor with margarita drinks,” as IMDB described his role. On TV, he appeared in Hawaii Five-O and Blue Bloods.
Tributes poured in after the announcement of Buffett’s death. Former president Bill Clinton said he would “always be grateful for his kindness, generosity, and great performances through the years, including at the White House in 2000.” Hillary Clinton reshared the statement from Buffett’s family with the caption “Fair winds and following seas, dear Jimmy.”
“A poet of paradise, Jimmy Buffett was an American music icon who inspired generations to step back and find the joy in life and in one another,” President Joe Biden tweeted. “We had the honor to meet and get to know Jimmy over the years, and he was in life as he was performing on stage–full of goodwill and joy, using his gift to bring people together.”
On his Instagram story, Elton John remembered Buffett as a “unique and treasured entertainer” whose “fans adored him and he never let them down.” “This is the saddest of news. A lovely man gone way too soon,” John added.
Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys tweeted “love and mercy, Jimmy Buffett,” and actor Miles Teller posted a photo of the pair together, calling Buffett a “legend.”
“The king of cool… paradise was wherever Jimmy Buffett was,” television host Andy Cohen wrote.
The Miami Heat, which described Buffett as a “long-time Season Ticket Member and friend,” also honored “Jimmy’s incredible spirit and love of life.” “Jimmy knew well the power that music and sports has of bringing people together,” the basketball team tweeted.
Buffett is survived by his wife, Jane Slagsvol, whom he married in 1977, and three children, Savannah, Sarah, and Cameron. He was married previously to Margie Washichek between 1969 and 1972.
Buffett opened up to the Arizona Republic in 2021 about his thoughts on Margaritavilla.
“There was no such place as Margaritaville. It was a made-up place in my mind, basically made up about my experiences in Key West and having to leave Key West and go on the road to work and then come back and spend time by the beach,” he said.
