Jimmy Buffett, the iconic musician and entrepreneur, has passed away at the age of 76.
Two sources familiar with the matter tell NBC News that Buffett had cancer at the time of his death.
Buffett, who was originally from Mississippi, but called Key West home for many years, died surrounded by family and friends.
Buffett was best known for hits like "Margaritaville,” which encapsulated the allure of island escapism.
Get South Florida local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters.
Video footage from past concerts shows Buffett effortlessly connecting with his fans, embodying the laid-back island lifestyle he popularized.
"'Margaritaville’ became an iconic anthem for the city of Key West; everybody equates that song with our city,” said Key West City Commissioner Clayton Lopez Saturday. “I mean, when you say Margaritaville, you’re talking about the city of Key West.”
Local
Beyond music, Buffett was a savvy entrepreneur. His most famous venture, Margaritaville, expanded from a single song to a global brand encompassing restaurants, hotels, and merchandise, turning the laid-back island vibe into a multi-million dollar empire.
"On behalf of everyone (who works, visits, or lives) in Margaritaville, we mourn the loss of Jimmy, a true national treasure, and express our heartfelt condolences to his family and everyone around the world who loves him,” the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach resort said in a lengthy statement on social media. "We celebrate his life, believe his spirit lives on like a never-ending encore, and will see his radiant smile and that twinkle in his eye when we look towards the sun and will continue to share his way of life wherever, whenever we can. Fins Up Forever."
The Messenger political reporter and Key West native, Marc Caputo, shared a story of his father and Buffett pretending to storm the beach in the wake of the declaration of the Conch Republic.
On April 23, 1982, the city of Key West declared itself a micro-nation separate from the United States, naming it the ‘Conch Republic.’
“Jimmy Buffett and my dad and a few others, they decided to dress up like commandos and get in a small boat and storm the beach at the hotel as if they were commandos with the Mangrove Liberation Front,” said Caputo. "So, it was just a fun example of how Jimmy Buffett had this great sense of humor.”
Aside from music, Buffett was an avid sports fan, particularly of the Miami Heat and the Miami Dolphins.
He was known to sit court-side at Heat games over the years, and was once ejected during a Heat-Knicks game in 2001 for using profanity toward referee Joe Forte, who was unaware of Buffett's fame.
The situation only escalated when Buffett's friend, Pat Riley, nearly got ejected himself for using the term "Parrothead" in an exchange with Forte, a term for Buffet fans.
At the time, Riley said Forte mistakenly thought it was an insult.
“We are saddened to learn of the passing of long-time Season Ticket Member and friend, Jimmy Buffett. Jimmy knew well the power that music and sports has of bringing people together. #HEATNation joins all Parrot Heads in honoring Jimmy’s incredible spirit and love of life,” the team said in a post to social media Saturday.
From May 2009 to January 2010, Miami's Sun Life Stadium was renamed LandShark Stadium due to a deal with the musician.
Beyond his career, Buffett was deeply involved in philanthropic work.
He had a close relationship with Tony Montalto, whose daughter was a victim of the deadly Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting.
“Before what would have been her 15th birthday, we were able to meet him for the soundcheck and spend some time with him. We were able to bond over both with being aviators. We were able to talk about airplanes, his music, and of course, about Gina,” said Montalto. “During that time, my wife and I gave Jimmy one of our Gina bracelets, and he wore that not only that night on stage, but for four months afterwards.”
Buffett was also an environmentalist, instrumental in the creation of the Save the Manatee Club alongside former Florida Governor Bob Graham.
