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Jimmy Buffett’s cause of death revealed; Paul McCartney responds with song in his final days

September 3, 2023 | | Print Article

Legendary singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett, who as previously reported died “peacefully” on Friday, succumbed to cancer, according to various reports.

The most valid report comes directly from Buffett’s family, who posted an official obituary to his website announcing that he “had been fighting Merkel Cell Skin Cancer for four years.”

Look:

(Source: JimmyBuffett.com)

Another report comes from TMZ.

“Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ … Jimmy was diagnosed with skin cancer 4 years ago that turned into lymphoma, and we’re told that was the cause of death. As one close friend put it, ‘He lived his life in the sun, literally and figuratively,'” the gossip site reported on Saturday.

“Jimmy began receiving hospice care last Monday and there was an outpouring of love from friends and family. We’re told a week ago Sir Paul McCartney came to Jimmy’s house and sang to Jimmy’s family,” the site added.

As previously reported, Buffett’s family announced his passing early Saturday morning.

“Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music, and dogs. He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many,” his family wrote both on his website and his various social media accounts.

Tributes began pouring in nonstop soon after.

“Buffett leaves behind his wife Jane Slagsvol and his three children: Savannah, Sarah and Cameron,” according to Fox News.

“The musician began struggling with a health issue starting last year, when he was hospitalized and forced to cancel several shows,” Fox News notes.

His last health scare occurred in May when he was reportedly briefly hospitalized and had to cancel a performance in Charleston, South Carolina.

“I had a sudden change of plans this week that affected us all. Two days ago, I was just back from a trip to the Bahamas, thawing out from the California ‘winter tour’, and chomping at the bit to get to Charleston. I had to stop in Boston for a check-up but wound up back in the hospital to address some issues that needed immediate attention,” he said in a statement at the time.

“Growing old is not for sissies, I promise you. I also will promise you, that when I am well enough to perform, that is what I’ll be doing in the land of She-Crab soup.”

Buffett was most famous for the 1977 hit single “Margaritaville,” though his other hits also include “Come Monday,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” “A Pirate Looks at Forty,” and “Pencil Thin Mustache.”

“‘Margaritaville,’ released on Feb. 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,’” according to the Associated Press.

“The song is the unhurried portrait of a loafer on his front porch, watching tourists sunbathe while a pot of shrimp is beginning to boil. The singer has a new tattoo, a likely hangover and regrets over a lost love. Somewhere there is a misplaced salt shaker.”

“There was no such place as Margaritaville. It was a made-up place in my mind, basically made up about my experiences in Key West and having to leave Key West and go on the road to work and then come back and spend time by the beach,” Buffett once reportedly said about the song.

Besides being a musician and business owner, Buffett was also an actor.

“The late ‘Margaritaville’ singer and leader of his “Parrothead” fans had another memorable experience with flying creatures — in the 2015 film ‘Jurassic World.’ In an uncredited role, Jimmy Buffett played a bartender at the infamous dinosaur-filled park (which can’t quite keep its animals in their enclosures),” according to The Wrap.

“His own Margaritaville bar and restaurant also makes an appearance, with an Isla Nublar location appearing on the theme park’s main concourse. When pterosaurs are let loose on the park’s unsuspecting visitors, the crowd runs in terror. This includes Mr. Buffett fleeing the bar — but he also makes sure to save two precious margaritas, one in each hand, as he flees.”

Vivek Saxena
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