Singer Jimmy Buffett, who turned beach life into an empire, has died at the age of 76.

Singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, who popularized soft rock on the beach with the escapist hit “Margaretville” and turned it into an empire of restaurants, spas and frozen drinks, has died. He was 76 years old.

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

The statement did not say where Buffett died or the cause of death. The illness forced him to reschedule his concerts in May, and Buffett admitted in social media posts that he was hospitalized, but did not provide any details.

Released on February 14, 1977, Margaritaville quickly acquired a life of its own, becoming a state of mind for those who “get lost away” and a pretext for a life of simple fun and escapism for those who “grow up”. Older, but not higher.”

The song is a tardigrade of a loafer on his front porch, watching tourists sunbathe as a pot of shrimp begins to boil. The singer has a new tattoo, likely a hangover and regrets about a lost love. Somewhere the salt shaker is out of place.

“What seems like a simple anthem about getting a smear and mending a broken heart turns out to be a profound meditation on the often painful immobility of the beach dwelling,” Spin magazine wrote in 2021. “Tourists come and go, one group indistinguishable from another.” last. The waves are rising and breaking whether someone is there to witness it or not. Everything means something has already happened and you’re not even sure when.

The song, from Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitudes, spent 22 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number eight. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2016 for its cultural and historical significance. became a karaoke standard and helped brand Key West, Florida, as a distinctive sound of music and a destination known around the world.

“There was no place like Margaritaville,” Buffett told the Arizona Republic in 2021. “It was a place that was created in my mind, made up mainly of my experience in Key West and having to leave Key West and get on the road.” To work and then come back and spend some time at the beach.

The song soon inspired restaurants and spas, turning Buffett’s purported desire for simplicity of island life into a brand worth millions. He was ranked 13th on the 2016 Forbes list of America’s richest celebrities with a net worth of $550 million.