Remembering – Jimmy Buffett R.I.P.
James William Buffett (December 25, 1946 – September 1, 2023) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and businessman. He was best known for his music, which often portrays an “island escapism” lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett recorded hit songs including “Margaritaville” (ranked 234th on the Recording Industry Association of America’s list of “Songs of the Century”) and “Come Monday”. He has a devoted base of fans known as “Parrotheads”.
Jimmy Buffett
An American singer, author, businessman, and recently a movie producer best known for his “island escapism” lifestyle and music including hits such as “Margaritaville” is #234 on the list of “Songs of the Century”, and “Come Monday.”
Aside from his career in music, Buffett is also a best-selling writer and is involved in two restaurant chains named after two of his best-known songs, “Cheeseburger in Paradise” and “Margaritaville”. He owns the Margaritaville Cafe restaurant chain and co-developed the Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant concept with OSI Restaurant Partners (parent of Outback Steakhouse), which operates the chain under a licensing agreement with Buffett.
Buffett was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and spent part of his childhood in Mobile, Alabama. He is the son of Mary Lorraine (née Peets) and James Delaney Buffett, Jr.In grade school years, he attended St. Ignatius School, where he played the trombone in the school band. He later lived in Fairhope, Alabama, mentioned by him as his “Home Town” during a 2001 concert. He graduated from McGill Institute for Boys (now McGill-Toolen Catholic High School) in 1964. He began playing guitar during his freshman year at Auburn University before continuing his college years at Pearl River Community College and The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where he received a bachelor’s degree in history in 1969. He was initiated into the fraternity Kappa Sigma (ΚΣ) at the University of Southern Mississippi. After graduating from college, Buffett worked as a correspondent for Billboard magazine in Nashville, breaking the news of the separation of Flatt
Aside from his career in music, Buffett was also a bestselling author and was involved in two restaurant chains named after two of his best-known songs; he owned the Margaritaville Cafe restaurant chain and co-developed the now defunct Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant chain. Buffett was one of the world’s richest musicians, with a net worth of $1 billion as of 2023.