Tom Corcoran (photographer). Distributed by Front Line Management Company Inc.

Jimmy Buffett was a beloved American musician and songwriter. Best known for his “tropical rock” music, the talented artist was responsible for hits such as Margaritaville and Fins. Out of the thirty albums Buffett released, eight are certified gold and nine are rated platinum or multi-platinum. Buffett was prolific in his tropical Rock genre, which promotes enjoying one’s life and following one’s passions. People often summed up his style of music into the phrase, Island Escapism, which he capitalized on by diving into several business ventures, such as his Margaritaville restaurant chain, the Cheeseburger in Paradise, and many hotels, liquors, and casinos. Buffett was among the world’s wealthiest musicians, with a hefty net worth of one billion dollars. On top of all of these accomplishments, Buffett was also a bestselling author of nearly a dozen books.

Jimmy Buffett was born on December 25, 1946, in Mississippi. He spent a good portion of his childhood in Alabama and was the son of Mary Lorraine and James Delaney Buffett, both of whom died in late 2003. As a young boy, he was exposed to sailing by his grandfather, who was a steamboat captain. In 1961, when Buffett was sixteen, he saw a folk music group perform and realized that he wanted to be a musician. After graduating from college in 1969, he moved to New Orleans and held street performances for tourists and the drunken crowd the atmosphere of the city attracted. In 1971, he was hired by the Exit/In, a Nashville club, as the opening act. Ultimately disappointed with the business climate of Nashville as well as the spiral of his marriage towards divorce, Buffett took the offer of a fellow country singer, Jerry Jeff Walker, whom he had met while working as an editorial assistant in Nashville. That same year, the duo went to Key West on a busking expedition, where they played on the street for gratuities. He liked the trip so much that he decided to move there the following year and play at a local bar for drinks. In 1973, Buffett signed a contract with ABC/Dunhill Records. After the tragic death of one of their musicians, he was the replacement. In 1977, he released his most successful album, Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes, which featured the breakthrough hit and his claim to fame, Margaritaville. Buffett unfortunately passed away on September 1, 2023, in Sag Harbor NY, because of complications from Merkel Cell Disease, a rare skin cancer.

Buffett has inspired people all around the world, including in our own Pine Crest community.

In fact, Basil “Jimbo” Horangic ’25 said, ” Jimmy Buffett has always been such an inspiration to me and my family. My dad made my middle [name] Jimbo to honor his legacy”.

Many Pine Crest students have a strong connection to the legacy of Buffett, especially because Buffett was based out of Key West, Florida.

Jasiah Bowie ’25 said Buffett was “an icon of tropical life and he embodied what it means to live a laid-back life in the south”.

Although his life is over, Buffett’s legacy continues through his music, restaurants, and lifestyle, which inspired millions to live a simpler life.