Jimmy Buffett, ‘Margaritaville’ Singer and Hawaii Five-0 Guest Star, Dead at 76
Jimmy Buffett, the singer best known for detailing his times in “Margaritaville,” died on Sept. 1. He was 76.
Buffett had been hospitalized in Boston in May to address undisclosed “issues that needed immediate attention.” Though a cause of death was not officially shared, TMZ is reporting that it was skin cancer/lymphoma.
“Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st, surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs,” reads a message posted to Buffett’s official Instagram account. “He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”
In addition to “Margaritaville,” which was released in 1977 and was so iconic it spawned a chain of eateries, Buffett’s best-known songs include “‘Come Monday,” “A Pirate Looks at Forty,” “Son of a Son of a Sailor” and “Cheeseburger In Paradise.”
Fans of CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 reboot also know Buffett from his recurring role as Frank Bama, a pilot friend of Joe White’s (Terry O’Quinn) who first appeared in Season 2 and would occasionally help out Steve McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin) and the task force.
Buffett also guest-starred in a Season 12 Blue Bloods episode as Dicky Delaney, a con man who would pass himself off as, well, Jimmy Buffett, to finagle free drinks and meals from fawning Parrotheads. (Buffett also played himself at the end of that same episode.)
Hawaii Five-0 boss Peter Lenkov and Buffett’s Blue Bloods scene partner Donnie Wahlberg have both paid tribute to the singer/sometime actor.
Asked how he would like to be remembered, in a 2020 Rolling Stone feature, Buffett said simply, “He had a good time and made a lot of people happy.”
😢 You did, Jimmy. You did.
Buffet’s music was a life style. Thanks for showing many of us the way to live it.
R.I.P JIMMY BUFFET (DECEMBER 25, 1946-SEPTEMBER 1, 2023)
P.S. Drinking Margaritas and eating Cheeseburgers are not considered as the road map for a long healthy life.
Then by all means YOU should start eating and drinking immediately non stop
Read any of the obituaries or recent articles about Jimmy, you’ll see he barely drank at all in recent years and said he had cut out all sugar. Obviously, what we did (and sang and joked about) in our 20’s and 30’s isn’t the way we live in our 70’s.
I Just read where they said Skin Cancer took him out..
Live life while you can. Life is too short. And never look back and wonder why you didn’t do something. So take time and have some fun. My guess I bet Jimmy Buffett lived a very full life.
Our family grew up listening to Jimmy. We’d always have him on the tape, CD, whatever. My daughter and her dad danced to Little Miss Magic at her wedding. My mentally challenged aunt would sing, Why Don’t We Get Drunk…which we all enjoyed. Thanks for the incredible ride.
Rest Well Mr. Buffett.” Margaritaville” is my favorite song about good times/drinking, and I’ve sang it at quite a few karaoke stages and won the love of some people who wouldn’t imagine that I’d know the lyrics in full!!🤣. TY for all the great memories I have due to you, and I pray that you WOW EM IN HEAVEN TOO!! Deepest condolences to your family as well 🙏🏿💔.
So Sad. I was lucky enough to meet him. Backstage at Jones beach theater. Standing right next to him right before he went on stage to perform. Jimmy you will be missed.
Thanks to you Jimmy, We Are The People Our Parents Warned Us About-and we have loved ever minute of it.
Rest In Peace my lifelong friend
Liked his music, but HATED his leftist politics…
Just what the country (and the world) needs – more hate. In CAPS, no less
Give it a rest Jane, this wasn’t the time to show ignorance/
Besides, he was like the ultimate capitalist. Slapped his name on thousands of items and sold them everywhere. He hadn’t had a real hit song in 40 years, but they say he died a billionaire!
Why such snarky comments for a man who just passed, You are all really pathetic. You all must be really welcome at peoples funeral… So pathetic .
Now I will miss Jimmy even more! The good ones leave us and the bad ones keep going.
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Life is indeed unfair.
Everyone who knew him has posted comments about how nice he was. When you die, will they talk about how nice you were, or about how inappropriate and crass you were?
Not everything has to be about politics, Jane. Read the room.
So very sad to learn this. Jimmy made beautiful and fun music. He will be greatly missed by many . RIP
Dog gone it. We keep losing the good ones.
If there is an afterlife, and they the departed are able to hang out.
That band must be epic.
Bach to Buffet. All the spectacular talent.
That’s a concert i would buy a ticket to hear them tune up.
Bye Jimmy
RIP, thank you for your music and more. Condolences to the family and thank you.
Jimmy Buffett was the soundtrack of our life when my husband and I first got together. We were flat broke and only had 3 cassettes, and Son of a Son of a Sailor was one of them. He accompanied us on road trips back when gas was cheap. We couldn’t afford to buy “cheeseburgers in paradise”, so we would stop at the store on our way home and get burger, buns and cheese. Thank you for the memories! I can’t believe he is gone.
Prayers for the family will truly be missed
Omg!!! I sang his songs all day yesterday while fishing!! So sad…. Loved his music so much! God bless🙏🙏🙏
Omg- Can’t be! Jimmy Buffett was a touchstone of sanity in a world so lacking sanity. Feels like everything good is leaving this plane.
We loved Jimmy BUffet and music. His savvy lifes tyle and relaxation we’ll remember.
I had the great pleasure of seeing Jimmy Buffet in concert several years ago. The entire show was like a giant party from start to finish. Can’t recall if I’ve ever enjoyed a concert more. R.I.P. Jimmy, you were one of a kind and will be missed. Condolences to your family.
~Come Monday, It’ll Be Alright~ We will all handle the news much better. I hope it was very quick and painless for him…..His songs made things much easier to accept in this crazy world. I thank you Jim…..Play with the many before you now,,,
Wonderful person! I met him back on the early 80’s in NEWPORT. RI where he had had his boat docked. A true and kind gentleman all the way. I am saddened, as are so many at this news. May God bless him and his family at this time.
Jimmy, THANK YOU for your genuinely amazing self! Rest In Eternal Peace, Master Margaritaville!!!!! 🙏🏼💚
We are all getting up there. When I pass some people will miss me. Jimmy Buffet will be missed by millions. His music will go on forever. Best legacy ever
“he had a good time and made a lot of people happy” that’s what he answered when asked how he’d like to be remembered. Wish Granted Jimmy.
Wish Granted
So sad. Jimmy had such a joyful stage presence, and his music was so much
fun. I loved him in his role of Frank Bama on Hawaii Five-O. He was one of my favourite guest stars on that show.
.Being a Florida Boy (Ft. Lauderdale/ Gainesville, Fl.), his music was a way of life. Very Happy I was able to see him 31 time. My heart is broken that I can’t see him one more time. First time I saw him was in the old gym at the University of Florida in 1976. What a great show it was! I was mesmerized by the song, ” A Pirate Looks at Forty”. It is my favorite song to this day.
This is a REALLY Painful day for me!! I loved this man and his music for 47 years. It is like losing your favorite uncle and I can’t grasp he is dead! I really can’t.
Jimmy lived life his way. He spread the music and the fun. I will miss you. But know the party and atmosphere will keep going. Thank you !!
My parents practically raised me on Jimmy Buffett. As a little tot in the early to mid ’70s, my wee self can remember Mom and Dad singing “Margaritaville” and they also loved “Come Monday”, as do I.
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Jimmy seemed – through his music – like just a fun, chill kinda guy. The world is a little less fun today.
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Have your Cheeseburger In (Eternal) Paradise, Jimmy! Where you are now, it will ALWAYS be 5 o’clock somewhere.
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Rest in peace and thanks for the music and memories and say hello to Mom for me!