Jimmy Buffett dies aged 76 leaving behind '$1bn fortune' as heartfelt tributes flood in for legendary star
Tributes are pouring in for Jimmy Buffett who passed away aged 76.
The sad news was confirmed in a post shared on his X account - the social media site formerly known as Twitter - in the early hours of Saturday (September 2).
“Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1 surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs,” the statement reads, which was accompanied with a picture of Buffett on a boat.
The statement continued: “He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”
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No cause of death has been revealed.
The tweet announcing his death has thousands of reposts (formerly known as retweets) and likes. One fan said: "Truly heartbreaking. RIP to a legend like no other."
Another person wrote: "May your soul rest in peace, Jimmy. Thank you for the many years of music that you have blessed this world with. May your memory live on forever."
A third fan penned: "Enjoy your cheeseburger in paradise my friend, see you in Margaritiville [sic] RIP."
The American singer-songwriter, musician, author and businessman was loved for his island escapist music which delved into the genres of country, folk, easy listening and rock and more.
He was one of the world’s richest musicians, with a net worth of $1bn as of 2023 according to Forbes. Buffett toured consistently over the decades but had been hospitalized earlier this year for an unspecified illness.
Through sales of his music, touring, writing books and owning two restaurant chains, Buffett made a lot of money.
His other business ventures include the two restaurant chains he was involved in that were named after two of his most well-known songs.
With a name like "Buffett", it'd be a crime not to have at least one place for foodies in your repertoire.
Buffett owned the Margaritaville Cafe restaurant chain and co-developed the now defunct Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant chain.
Buffett also found the time to write best-selling books, including Tales from Margaritaville and Where Is Joe Merchant?
Both novels spent over seven months on The New York Times Best Seller fiction list, while his memoir A Pirate Looks at Fifty, published in 1998, went straight to number one on the New York Times Best Seller nonfiction list.
He was also involved in many charity and philanthropic efforts, including raising funds for hurricane victims in Florida through his Surviving the Storm hurricane relief concert plus a concert in Hong Kong to raise money for the Foreign Correspondents' Club Charity Fund, and a free show on the beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama in 2010 to raise awareness to the BP oil disaster in the Gulf.
Gregory Robinson