Jimmy Buffett, Margaritaville Singer, Passes Away At Age 76
Mia Smith
Updated on March 01, 2026
Jimmy Buffett, best known for his 1970s hit Margaritaville, has passed away at age 76. Jimmy died peacefully on September 1 night, surrounded by his family, friends, music, and canines, according to a statement on his website.
He lived his life like a song until his final breath and will be sorely missed by so many. Buffett’s cause of death was unknown, but he had been hospitalized in recent months.
Buffett was born in Mississippi but reared in Alabama before relocating to Nashville, Tennessee. He worked for the music and entertainment publication Billboard in the hopes of becoming a country performer.
Later, he relocated to Florida, where he helped to establish the tropical rock genre, which Jack Johnson and others would later popularize.
Buffett’s breakthrough album, Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes, was released in 1977 and featured the song Margaritaville, which spent 22 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Among his additional successes are Fins, Come Monday, and Son of a Son of a Sailor.
Buffett was a prolific artist who released more than 20 albums and was nominated for two Grammys. He announced earlier this year that he had recorded a new piece.
In 2018, the musical adaptation of his compositions, Escape to Margaritaville, debuted on Broadway.
Buffett’s music and promotion of the “beach bum” lifestyle earned him millions of devoted followers who call themselves Parrotheads.
“RIP to the troubadour of my youth,” a Parrothead wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“So many wonderful memories at Jimmy’s concerts. This is challenging,” remarked another.
Some of his fellow musicians have also paid tribute, including Elton John, who described Buffett as a “unique and cherished entertainer” who passed away “far too soon.”
Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys tweeted a photo of one of Buffett’s album covers with the words “love and mercy, Jimmy Buffett.”
“May @jimmybuffett rest in power,” “I’m glad we had the opportunity to vibe,” LL Cool J wrote.
“You were and will always be a truly inspiring human.”
Buffett’s hospitalization in May necessitated the cancellation of his May performances. Until recently, Buffett performed routinely with his Coral Reef Band, but he had to cancel his May appearances after being hospitalized.
In a Facebook post, he vowed to make amends once he was “in shape.”
“I believe performing is equally therapeutic for me as it is for the audience to listen and sing along,” he said.
Buffett was also a best-selling author and entrepreneur who used the Margaritaville brand to establish a string of resorts, clubs, restaurants, merchandise stores, and retirement communities.
His net worth was estimated by Forces to be $1 billion (£794 million) as of this month’s publication of figures. Buffett leaves behind his wife Jane and three children.
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