‘Margaritaville’ singer Jimmy Buffett dies at 76

NEW YORK (AP) — Singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, who popularised beach bum soft rock with the escapist Caribbean-flavoured song “Margaritaville” and turned that celebration of loafing into a billion-dollar empire of restaurants, resorts and frozen concoctions, has died.

He was 76.

“Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs,” a statement posted to Buffett's official website and social media pages said late Friday. “He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”

The statement did not say where Buffett died or give a cause of death. Illness had forced him to reschedule concerts in May and Buffett acknowledged in social media posts that he had been hospitalised but provided no specifics.

“Margaritaville,” released on February 14, 1977, quickly took on a life of its own, becoming a state of mind for those ”wastin' away,” an excuse for a life of low-key fun and escapism for those “growing older, but not up.”

The song — from the album “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes” — spent 22 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and peaked at No. 8.

The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2016 for its cultural and historic significance, became a karaoke standard and helped brand Key West, Florida, as a distinct sound of music and a destination known the world over.

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