Jimmy Buffett, the singer and songwriter of “Margaritaville” and dozens of other beach soft rock songs, has died at age 76, according to a statement posted on his website social media Channels.
“Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs,” the statement said. “He lived his life like a song until his last breath and will be missed immensely by so many.”
The statement included a photo of Buffett casually dressed while sitting in a boat on the water.
A cause of death was not announced.
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Buffett only ever had one pop hit, “Margaritaville,” but his music gave him generations of loyal fans and led to a business empire that made him one of America’s richest celebrities.
Buffett got his start as a country singer and street performer in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 2017, CBS Sunday Morning’s Tracy Smith and Buffett traveled together to the area’s French Quarter, where Buffett said the city was an integral part of his career.
“Those years here were really formative years for me and they made me a better professional player, so I thought I could make that jump and this was all my training ground for all of that,” he said, adding that he thinks it’s his Without New Orleans, success “probably wouldn’t have happened.”
Buffett toured for decades after the success of “Margaritaville,” using the commercial influence and support of his rabid “Parrotheads,” or fans, to market his music, open a chain of Margaritaville resorts and restaurants, and launch a lifestyle brand to bring to market. According to Forbes, Buffett’s net worth was over $1 billion, and his concerts reportedly grossed more than $1 million per night.
Buffett continued touring until 2023. His most recent tour date listed on his website is a performance in San Francisco on May 6, 2023. About two weeks later, he canceled upcoming late May tour dates in South Carolina. At the time, Buffett said he was hospitalized for “some issues that required immediate attention.”
“Getting older is not for wimps, I promise you,” he wrote at the time.
Buffett is survived by his wife Jane Slagsvol, two daughters Savannah Jane and Sarah Delaney and his son Cameron Marley.
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Kerry Breen