Beloved American singer-songwriter sensation and businessman, Jimmy Buffett, passed away on Sept. 1, 2023. He had been struggling with a four-year long battle with a rare, aggressive form of skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma. He was confirmed to be in hospice care in August. Known for his laid-back, Florida Keys persona, his country-esque songs portrayed an alike image: living on beach resorts, having one too many drinks, getting high, and escaping the everyday woes of life.
Jimmy Buffett, whose real name was James William Buffett, was born in 1946 in Mississippi. He was introduced to maritime-life by his grandfather, a sailor in Newfoundland, which inspired his song “Son of a Son of a Sailor.” His time in college was spent flunking classes, working with ships, and playing guitar. After eventually graduating, he started street performances in New Orleans. He discovered his passion for country music, moving northwest to America’s country music capital, Nashville, TN. In Nashville, he performed gigs in various bars and clubs and released his first album, but he wasn’t yet satisfied with life. In 1971, He took up an offer to live in Jerry Jeff Walker’s house in Coconut Grove, his first introduction to Florida and later Key West.
Buffet immediately fell in love with the Keys, moving there just a few months later. He began singing at bars and working on boats again, and even indulged in the literary scene. Most notably, he signed his first record contract, beginning his journey towards stardom.
Buffet wrote most of his hits in the Florida Keys including “Grapefruit – Juicy Fruit,” “Come Monday,” and “A Pirate Looks Forty” to name a few. Of all his songs, the single that made his name was “Margaritaville,” a song originally written sarcastically about Key West tourists (as he would later sing, “Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude”). The public, however, interpreted it as a definition of paradise, increasing tourism to the Keys.
Given his tremendous success, Jimmy Buffett toured practically every year from 1976 all the way through 2023. His dedication to his music and the island-escapism aesthetic gained him a multitude of devoted followers, nicknamed “Parrotheads.” They became synonymous with the image of baby boomers in tropical floral shirts, cargo shorts, and margaritas in hand attending concert after concert, transporting themselves into “Margaritaville” or Key West resorts alike.
To give “Parrotheads” a personal taste of their self-proclaimed utopia, Jimmy launched several enterprises, most popular being the restaurant Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville. The restaurants later transformed into resorts, casinos, even a partnership with a retirement home, Latitude Margaritaville.
Alongside his music and business, Buffett engaged in other ventures. He wrote fiction novels detailing island escapism, most of which hit The New York Times Best Seller list. He also owned a merchandise line, including clothes, shot glasses, and even furniture. Jimmy became one of the top artists to successfully capitalize on their music persona and create a larger enterprise, illuminating the path for other singer-songwriters such as Dr. Dre (Beats by Dre) and Jay-Z (40/40 Clubs).
Buffett was incredibly charitable as well. He co-founded the Save the Manatee Club in 1981, and worked to introduce the corresponding license plate, allowing citizens to donate to the cause. His charity work for animals didn’t stop there. He also lobbied for adapting the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to the more modern environmental conditions of 1987. He used his music platform for relief efforts too, such as his Surviving the Storm relief tour and his concert in Hong Kong, donating funds to hurricane relief funds and to support children in need, respectfully.
Despite the endeavors of the music and business trade, Jimmy always stayed true to himself and had fun with his career, once disclosing, “It’s pure escapism is all it is … I’m not the first one to do it, nor shall I probably be the last. But I think it’s really a part of the human condition that you’ve got to have some fun.” His aspirational tropical vacation spirit will be forever missed, and may he rest in peace, eating a “Cheeseburger in Paradise.”
