The American singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, best known for his hit Margaritaville, has died at the age of 76.
A statement posted on the music star and entrepreneur's X account read: "Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs.
— Jimmy Buffett (@jimmybuffett) September 2, 2023
"He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many."
The statement did not include a cause of death.
Born 25 December 1946 in the US state of Mississippi and raised in Alabama, Buffett began playing guitar in college and later started performing on the streets and in the clubs of New Orleans, according
to his website.
His debut album, Down to Earth, was released in 1970.
A year later, he travelled to Key West, Florida, a place that became synonymous with Buffett's paradise-themed music and lifestyle brands.
Stardom arrived with the good-time troubadour's 1977 album, Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes, which included his signature song, Margaritaville.
His classic chill-out anthem about beachfront living with a drink in hand spent 22 weeks on the Billboard chart in the US and also helped launch a business empire.
Known as the 'Mayor of Margaritaville', Buffett released nearly 30 studio albums of country, folk, and tropical tunes.
He also launched a line of resorts, restaurants, and retail stores that capitalised on his laid-back, escapist image.
Buffett announced earlier this year that he had completed work on a new album, Equal Strain on All Parts.
A best-selling author, Buffett's books included Tales from Margaritaville, Where Is Joe Merchant?, and his 1998 memoir, A Pirate Looks at Fifty.
He appeared in movies and on television and had a brief Broadway run with his musical Escape to Margaritaville.
But his signature song - and its refrain: "Wastin' away again in Margaritaville, searchin' for my lost shaker of salt" - is what his legions of fans and beach holidaymakers remember most.
"There are people out there looking for a good time for a few days a year," Buffett told Rolling Stone magazine in 1996, referring to his fans, known as 'Parrotheads'.
"We come to town and we're the carnival or the Mardi Gras. People blow off steam and then go back and become basically law-abiding citizens," he said.
"But to see them on those two days, you'd go, 'My God, this is the most drunk and boisterous maniac crowd you ever saw!'"
Variety reports that he is survived by his second wife Jane, their two daughters, Sarah and Savannah, and son, Cameron.
Source: AFP
