American singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett dies at 76

Jimmy Buffett performs during NBC's «Today' Summer Concert Series» show in New York, USA on July 29, 2016.

American singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, best known for his escapist tribute to tropical life «Margaritaville», has died at the age of 76.

«Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1 surrounded by his family, friends , music and dogs. He lived his life as a song until his very last breath, and many will miss him immensely,» the site said in a statement.

«Margaritaville», released February 14, 1977, quickly took on a life of its own, becoming an anthem for those who are «old but not yet mature.»

The song is a leisurely portrait of a loafer on his front porch watching tourists sunbathe while the shrimp pot starts to boil. The singer has a new tattoo, probably a hangover and regret for lost love.

What seems like a simple song about how to get wet and heal a broken heart turns out to be a deep reflection on the often painful inertia of beach living, ”wrote Spin magazine in 2021.

“Tourists come and go, one group is indistinguishable from another. Waves rise and break whether there is someone to witness it or not. Everything that means anything has already happened, and you're not even sure when.»

A career spanning more than five decades.

The song from the album «Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes» spent 22 weeks in it reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 2016, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for its cultural and historical significance, became a karaoke standard, and helped establish Key West, Florida as a distinct musical sound and world-renowned destination.

Buffett has recorded 27 studio albums (four platinum and eight gold) in a career spanning over five decades that has included building and managing a business empire.

Jimmy Buffett dies at age 76

James William Buffett was born on Christmas Day 1946 in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and grew up in the port city of Mobile, Alabama.

He graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and began to get involved in outdoor street activities. on the streets of New Orleans and performing six nights a week in clubs on Bourbon Street.

He released his first LP, Down To Earth, in 1970 and released seven more in a regular annual video for his 1974 song. «Come Monday» from his fourth studio album «Living and Dying in ¾ Time» peaked at number 30. This was followed by «Margaritaville».

Buffett was actually in Austin, Texas when he was inspired by the song hit. He and a friend stopped for lunch at a Mexican restaurant before she took him to the airport for a flight home to Key West, so they started drinking margaritas.

«And I sort of came up with this idea. Idea It's like a Marguerite Ville,» Buffett told Republic. «She kind of laughed at it and put me on a plane. And I started working on it.» daughters Sarah and Savannah and son Cameron.