On this day (September 1) in 2023, Jimmy Buffett died in his Sag Harbor, New York, home after a battle with cancer at the age of 76. He is best known for the “island escapism” of his music. His best-known songs, including “Margaritaville,” “Fins,” “A Pirate Looks at Forty,” and “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” embody the lifestyle he promoted. After becoming a star, he invested in a chain of resort hotels and restaurants called Margaritaville that continues to attract fans who want to take a break from their fast-paced lives.
Buffett knew he wanted to pursue a music career after seeing a folk ensemble perform when he was a teenager. However, more important influences on his style came much earlier. His grandfather was a steamship captain, and his father was a sailor. While he later became a licensed pilot, Buffett’s music was steeped in nautical themes and island vibes.
Jimmy Buffett Finds His Way to Florida
In the late 1960s, Buffett graduated with a history degree and moved to New Orleans. There, he busked on Decatur Street and performed in nightclubs on Bourbon Street. According to Stereogum, he moved to Nashville in 1970 with his eyes on country music stardom. That didn’t work out for him, though. His debut album, Down to Earth, sold just over 300 copies. Buffett grew tired of Music City after a year. In late 1971, Jerry Jeff Walker, the outlaw country singer/songwriter behind “Mr. Bojangles,” invited Buffett to join him at his house in Miami. This led to a busking expedition in Key West. The future star fell in love with the area. A year later, he relocated to Florida.
Jimmy Buffett inked a deal with ABC Records and released A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean in 1973. His second attempt at a recording career was much more successful. The album reached No. 43 on the country chart. The single “Grapefruit–Juicy Fruit” reached No. 23 on the Hot 100. His next album, Living and Dying in ¾ Time, produced the crossover hit “Come Monday.”
Mainstream Success
In 1977, Jimmy Buffett released Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes. It contained “Margaritaville,” which became his first No. 1 on the adult contemporary chart. It was also his first single to crack the top 10 of the Hot 100.
He continued to notch hits sporadically over the next three decades. Buffett topped the country chart twice after the turn of the century. The first time was in 2003 when “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” his duet with Alan Jackson, reached No. 1. Eight years later, he was back at the top with “Knee Deep,” a collaboration with the Zac Brown Band.
The charts don’t come close to telling the whole story. His music and its themes of island escapism drew countless fans to shows around the world. Referred to as Parrot Heads, Buffett’s fanbase remains large, wide-ranging, and dedicated to his music and legacy.
Jimmy Buffett’s Island Escapes
“Margaritaville” was Jimmy Buffett’s biggest hit and became the cornerstone of his brand. He opened the first successful Margaritaville cafe in Key West, Florida, in 1985. Soon, it grew into a thriving themed restaurant. Before long, locations began springing up across the United States and beyond. Nearly any popular vacation destination includes one of Buffett’s restaurants or resorts.
[RELATED: A Failed First Marriage and a Need for the Sea: Why Jimmy Buffett Moved To Key West]
Dozens of locations still draw countless Parrot Heads and other people looking to take a break from the rat race of life every year. These destinations, along with decades of music, help keep the legacy of Jimmy Buffett alive.
Featured Image by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
The post 3 Years Ago Today, We Lost the Music Icon Who Found His Path to Fame and a Permanent Vacation While Busking With an Outlaw Country Legend appeared first on American Songwriter.