Musical icon Jimmy Buffett passed away peacefully at his home on Friday night. A statement from Buffett's family has further details on the musicians passing. The cause of Buffett's death was later revealed. The story below was first shared in October of 2022. We've re-shared it today as so many of Jimmy's fans are mourning his passing.

(Original Story)

Jimmy Buffett's iconic anthem to procrastination, Margaritaville, was not supposed to be a hit for him. Buffett has admitted that his most popular tune, a song that has been the basis for his financial empire was penned in hopes of getting it into the hands of another very popular singer of the middle 1970s.

Margaritaville Resort Biloxi, Facebook
Margaritaville Resort Biloxi, Facebook
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The song, which became Buffett's signature calling card was released in 1977 and since then it has become an anthem of "good times at the beach" for generations of Americans. Buffett told the Arizona Republic in an interview that Margaritaville wasn't a real place back when he wrote the song.

Buffett told the newspaper that Margaritaville was a place he dreamed up in his head. It was based loosely on his life in Key West Florida at the time. He suggested in the interview that living in Key West and then having to leave to go play shows always made him homesick for the laid-back lifestyle along Florida's A1A.

Jimmy Buffett Nashville
Patrick McMullan, Getty Image
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Since the song exploded for Jimmy Buffett it has been synonymous with the singer and the lifestyle of the Gulf-Western beachgoer. The song only made it to Number 8 on the US Pop Charts although it did go to #1 on the Easy Listening Chart. Margaritaville also got some love on Billboard's Country Chart too, the song peaked at #13.

ABC
ABC
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The Margaritaville brand, which Buffett had to battle to get the rights for is now synonymous with resorts and casinos. Buffett's music has also inspired a series of restaurants "Cheeseburger in Paradise", but despite the logical connection, the restaurants are not part of Buffett's empire.

But still, who was the "other singer" that Buffett hoped would cut Margaritaville? It was none other than Elvis Presley. However, Elvis died before he could cut the tracks. Can you imagine how different our world would be if Elvis had cut Margaritaville? We might not have had parrot heads and all of those other Buffett-inspired, alcohol-infused, ideas.

We certainly wouldn't have had Margaritaville Resorts, that wouldn't have fit the Official Elvis mold I'm sure. They'd have only had them in Memphis and served barbeque, Which, really isn't a bad thing either.

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Gallery Credit: Stephanie Crist

 

 

 

 

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