Jimmy Buffett

James William Buffett (December 25, 1946 – September 1, 2023) was an American singer-songwriter, author, and businessman. He was known for his tropical music sound blending country, rock, folk, calypso, and his persona, which often portrayed a lifestyle described as "island escapism." It promoted enjoying life and following passions. Buffett recorded many hit songs, including those known as "The Big 8": "Margaritaville" (1977), which is ranked 234th on the Recording Industry Association of America's list of "Songs of the Century"; "Come Monday" (1974); "Fins" (1979); "Volcano" (1979); "A Pirate Looks at Forty" (1974); "Cheeseburger in Paradise" (1978); "Why Don't We Get Drunk" (1973); and "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" (1977). His other popular songs include "Son of a Son of a Sailor" (1978), "One Particular Harbour" (1983), and "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" with Alan Jackson (2003). Buffett formed the Coral Reefer Band in 1975.

Of over 30 albums released by Buffett, eight are certified gold and nine others are certified platinum or multi-platinum by the RIAA. He sold over 20 million certified records worldwide. In addition to two Grammy Award nominations, Buffett was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio in the Musical Excellence category in 2024.

Buffett parlayed the "island escapism" lifestyle of his music into several business ventures including the Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville restaurant chain, the Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant chain which is defunct, and ventures in hotels, casinos, liquor, and retirement communities. He was a bestselling author. Buffett's estate was estimated to be worth $275 million. His devoted fans are known as "Parrotheads".

Buffett was born on December 25, 1946, in Pascagoula, Mississippi and lived for part of his childhood in Mobile and Fairhope, Alabama. He was the son of Mary Lorraine (née Peets; died September 25, 2003) and James Delaney Buffett Jr. (died May 1, 2003), who worked for the United States Army Corps of Engineers. He had two younger sisters, Laurie (born 1948) and Lucy (born 1953). As a child, he was exposed to sailing: his grandfather, James Delaney Buffett, was a steamship captain from Newfoundland, and his father was a marine engineer and sailor—these experiences later influenced his music. He was educated by Jesuits as a Catholic and served as an altar boy.

In 1961, after seeing a folk music ensemble perform in Biloxi, Mississippi, Buffett realized that he wanted to be a musician. His first performance was a month later at a hootenanny, where he played a Stella guitar. He attended St. Ignatius Catholic School in Mobile, where he played the trombone in the school band at eight in the 1950s. He graduated from McGill Institute (a high school) in the city in 1964.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.