Jimmy Buffett

Jimmy Buffett
Buffett in 1980
Born
James William Buffett

(1946-12-25)December 25, 1946
Pascagoula, Mississippi, U.S.
DiedSeptember 1, 2023(2023-09-01) (aged 76)
Sag Harbor, New York, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Southern Mississippi (BA)
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • musician
  • author
  • businessman
Years active1961[1]–2023
Spouses
  • Margie Washichek
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1969; div. 1972)​
  • Jane Slagsvol
    ​
    (m. 1977)​
Children3,[a] including Savannah
Musical career
OriginNashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • ukulele
  • trombone
  • keyboards
DiscographyJimmy Buffett discography
Labels
Websitejimmybuffett.com

James William Buffett (December 25, 1946 – September 1, 2023) was an American singer-songwriter.[10] He was known for his tropical rock sound and persona,[2] which often portrayed a lifestyle described as "island escapism"[11] and promoted enjoying life and following passions.[12] Buffett recorded many hit songs, including those known as "The Big 8":[13] "Margaritaville" (1977), which is ranked 234th on the Recording Industry Association of America's list of "Songs of the Century"; "Come Monday" (1974); "Fins" (1979); "Volcano" (1979); "A Pirate Looks at Forty" (1974); "Cheeseburger in Paradise" (1978); "Why Don't We Get Drunk" (1973); and "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" (1977). His other popular songs include "Son of a Son of a Sailor" (1978), "One Particular Harbour" (1983), and "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" with Alan Jackson (2003).[14] Buffett formed the Coral Reefer Band in 1975.[15]

Of the over 30 albums released by Buffett, eight are certified gold and nine are certified platinum or multi-platinum by the RIAA.[16] In total, Buffett sold over 20 million certified records worldwide,[3] placing him amongst the world's best-selling music artists.[17][18][19] In addition to two Grammy Award nominations, Buffett was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Musical Excellence category in 2024.[20]

Buffett also parlayed the "island escapism" lifestyle of his music into several business ventures, including Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville restaurant chain, the now-defunct Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant chain, and ventures in hotels, casinos, liquor, and retirement communities. With a net worth of $1 billion, Buffett was one of the world's richest musicians.[21] He was also a bestselling author. His devoted fans are known as "Parrotheads".[22]

  1. ^ Eng, Steve (October 15, 1997). Jimmy Buffett: The Man from Margaritaville Revealed. Macmillan. ISBN 9780312168759. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ a b Lambert, Molly (April 11, 2017). "THE PARROTHEAD INSIDE ME". MTV News. Archived from the original on April 14, 2017.
  3. ^ a b Rifkin, Glenn (September 2, 2023). "Jimmy Buffett, musical 'mayor of Margaritaville,' dies at 76". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023.
  4. ^ Krzos, Mark S. (June 3, 1994). "Jimmy Buffett fills Parrotheads' bills". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on September 18, 2021.
  5. ^ Eng, Steve (October 15, 1997). Jimmy Buffett: The Man from Margaritaville Revealed. St. Martin's Press. p. 216. ISBN 978-0-312-16875-9. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023.
  6. ^ Durchholz, Daniel. "Jimmy Buffett brings his island-infused rock to Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023.
  7. ^ Thornburgh, Nathan (July 5, 2007). "10 Questions for Jimmy Buffett". Time.
  8. ^ "Easy-Listening Icon Jimmy Buffett Passes Away". VOCM (AM). September 2, 2023.
  9. ^ Vitello, Barbara (November 3, 2017). "Jimmy Buffett looks to Broadway as 'Margaritaville' sails into Chicago". Daily Herald. Archived from the original on November 10, 2017.
  10. ^ Dowd, Maureen (September 9, 2023). "Living and Dying in ¾ Time". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 9, 2023. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference NYTObit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ "Lot Lines: My 'Jimmy Buffett' lifestyle".
  13. ^ ERLEWINE, STEPHEN THOMAS (September 2, 2023). "The 12 essential Jimmy Buffett songs". Los Angeles Times.
  14. ^ Trust, Gary (September 2, 2023). "Jimmy Buffett's Biggest Billboard Hits: 'Margaritaville,' 'It's Five O'Clock Somewhere' & More". Billboard.
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference wife was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ "RIAA Gold and Platinum Albums database". Recording Industry Association of America.
  17. ^ "JIMMY BUFFETT album sales". BestSellingAlbums.org. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  18. ^ Thaler, Shannon (September 25, 2023). "Sales of Jimmy Buffett songs rose 7,000% the week after he died". Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  19. ^ viapiuser (September 7, 2018). "Jimmy Buffett". Variety. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  20. ^ Greene, Andy (April 22, 2024). "Cher, Ozzy Osbourne, Dave Matthews Band, Mary J. Blige Lead Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2024 Class". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  21. ^ "Forbes Profile: Jimmy Buffett". Forbes. April 4, 2023. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023.
  22. ^ Cite error: The named reference state was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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