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Jimmy Buffett, "Margaritaville" singer, dies at 76

By
Kerry Breen
News Editor
Kerry Breen is a news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.
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Kerry Breen

/ CBS News

Jimmy Buffett, the singer and songwriter of "Margaritaville" and dozens of other beachy soft-rock songs, has died at 76 years old, according to a statement posted on his and channels. 

"Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs," the statement said. "He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many." 

The statement included a photo of Buffett dressed casually and sitting in a boat out on the water. 

A cause of death was not revealed. 

Buffett only ever had one pop hit, "Margaritaville," but his music earned him generations of devoted fans and led to a business empire that made him one of America's wealthiest celebrities.

Buffett started as a country singer and street performer in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 2017, CBS Sunday Morning's Tracy Smith and Buffett traveled to the area's French Quarter together, where Buffett said that the city was integral to his career. 

"Those years being here really were formative years for me, and it made me a better professional player so I thought I could make that leap and all of this was my training ground for all of that," he said, adding that he thinks his success "probably would not have happened" if not for New Orleans. 

Buffett spent decades touring after the success of "Margaritaville," and he used the commercial clout and the support of his rabid "Parrotheads," or fans, to merchandise his music, open a chain of Margaritaville resorts and restaurants, and launch a lifestyle brand. According to Forbes, Buffett's net worth was over a billion dollars, and his concerts have reportedly grossed more than a million dollars a night.  

Buffett continued to tour until 2023. His last tour date, listed on his website, is a performance in San Francisco on May 6, 2023. About two weeks later, he cancelled upcoming late May tour dates in South Carolina. At the time, Buffett said he was hospitalized for "some issues that needed immediate attention." 

"Growing old is not for sissies, I promise you," he wrote at the time. 

Buffett is survived by his wife, Jane Slagsvol, two daughters, Savannah Jane and Sarah Delaney, and son Cameron Marley. 

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