A look at the life and career of Jimmy Buffett.
Jimmy Buffett’s social media handle carried the statement: “Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs. He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”
— Jimmy Buffett (@jimmybuffett) September 2, 2023
Who was Jimmy Buffett?
Jimmy Buffett was born on December 25 (Christmas Day), 1946, in Pascagoula, Mississippi, as James William Buffett. He studied history in college.
Multi-faceted Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett’s first album was Down to Earth, which he recorded in the 1970s while working for music magazine Billboard as a correspondent. He released five more albums, but his groundbreaking album was his seventh – 1977’s Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes. It was this album’s hit song, Margaritaville that made him a star forever.Margaritaville was so popular that the song was inducted into the Library of Congress National Recording Registry in 2023.Listen to Margaritaville here:
Jimmy Buffett’s other hit songs include Come Monday, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Fins, A Pirate Looks at 40, He Went to Paris, and Son of a Son of a Sailor. His greatest hits album, Songs You Know by Heart: Jimmy Buffett’s Greatest Hit(s), released in 1985 and sold more than 5.6 million copies.
In a 50-year career, Jimmy Buffett released more than 30 records, of which 17 records went gold or platinum for sales amounting to more than 500,000 units each.
Businessman Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett opened two restaurant chains in the name of his two best songs – the Margaritaville Cafe restaurant chain, which is still running, and the now defunct Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant chain.
He became a suave businessman when he created Margaritaville Holdings in 1985, a business empire of not just music, restaurants and resorts, but also brands of lifestyle, including apparel, home décor, and food and drink. The company also runs a retirement community.
Jimmy Buffett’s net worth was $1 billion, as of June 2023, as per Forbes magazine.
Not many know that Jimmy Buffett is also a bestselling novelist, and had released the short story collection, Tales from Margaritaville, in 1989. He also wrote the 1992 novel, Where Is Joe Merchant?. In 1998, he wrote his memoir, A Pirate Looks at 50. All these books were No.1 on The New York Times bestseller list.
Jimmy Buffett also co-wrote two children’s books with his daughter Savannah Buffett.
A musical, Escape to Margaritaville, ran on Broadway from March 2018, with 124 performances, and later a national tour.
On top of all this, Jimmy Buffett was also a dedicated sailor and a private pilot.
Jimmy Buffett is survived by his wife, Jane Slagsvol, two daughters, Savannah Buffett and Sarah Delaney Buffett, and a son, Cameron Marley Buffett.
FAQs
When did Jimmy Buffett die?
American singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett died on September 1, 2023. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and friends.
Was Jimmy Buffett a businessman?
Jimmy Buffett built his business empire named after his most popular song, Margaritaville. It includes lifestyle brands, resorts and a restaurant chain.
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