James William Buffet, better known as Jimmy Buffet, was an American musician and songwriter who passed away on September 1st. Throughout his life, he released 30 albums. You probably know some of the songs from these: “Margaritaville,” “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” and many more. He also owned the appropriately named Margaritaville restaurant chain and dabbled in hotels as well as casinos among other ventures. But what’s so important about Jimmy Buffet? Well, to many people, Jimmy Buffet was much more than a musician, but rather a lifestyle. Jimmy Buffet, through his, as he described it, “Gulf and Western” style of music and his “island escapism” philosophy, gave people, especially baby boomers, someone to look up to when it came to relaxing and enjoying things. Decorations featuring his quotes have become staples of beach houses, people play his music on the beach and all things Jimmy Buffet serve as a reminder to “Parrotheads” (the name Jimmy Buffet gave to his fans) that it’s time to kick back and let all worries go away.

Jimmy Buffet was born December 25th, 1946 in Pascagoula, Mississippi to Mary Lorraine and James Delaney Buffet, Jr. From the beginning of his life, Jimmy had a connection to the sea, as his grandfather, James Delaney Buffet was a steamship captain and his father was a marine engineer and sailor. Buffet attended St. Ignatius School, and in his time there he played the trombone for the school band. In 1964 he graduated from McGill Institute.

In 1961, after seeing a folk music group perform in Biloxi, Mississippi, Buffet came to the realization that he wanted to be a musician. He enrolled at Auburn University, where he learned to play the guitar by a member of his fraternity in order to receive attention from girls. A year later, Buffet dropped out, stating his inability to balance his interests in music and girls as the reason why. He went back to college at Pearl Community College in Hattiesburg, Mississippi where he received a Bachelor’s degree in history in 1969.

After graduating, Buffet set out to New Orleans, where he held street performances for the visiting tourists. A few years later, Buffet signed a two-album contract with Barnaby Records, and he released his first album, Down To Earth in 1970. In November 1971, Jimmy Buffet went to Key West on a busking expedition. Buffet fell in love with Key West and moved there in the spring of 1972. In 1975, he founded the Coral Reefer Band, and in 1977 he released the album “Changes In Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes” which featured the song, “Margaritaville.” Buffet claims that he wrote most of the song in six minutes, but nonetheless, this became his most famous song and cemented him as a star.

Throughout his career, Buffet was able to build a devoted fan base, which he affectionately called “Parrotheads,” for whom the announcement of his death felt like losing a family member who was always there to share their wisdom. Key West, which was Buffet’s home for several years, was hit particularly hard by the news. To celebrate his life, the citizens of Key West held a parade on the famous Duval Street in his honor. Fans donned Hawaiian shirts and other island apparel, things that Buffet was known for. At the front of the parade, fans held a sign that said “Key West Remembers Jimmy Buffett.”

“When he sang those songs, he was singing to us, which is absolutely magnificent because it gives us permission to be us,” said Key West resident Jean Sottin.

On July 20, 2023, American YouTubers Eddy Burback and Ted Nivison posted a video in which they ate at every single one of Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville restaurants in North America. A few weeks after this was posted, Buffet died, and they shared these posts on X.

Some ILS students also had words to share about the late singer.

“I was heartbroken,” said senior Danna Chalela. “As someone who grew up listening to his music, I really felt like a part of me died. First Tony Bennett and now this? This is truly saddening.”

“I think he made a huge impact on the world. The reaction to his death shows just how much he really mattered to people,” said senior Maya Martinez.

So while Jimmy Buffet was known as a singer-songwriter, it can be argued that he is was one of the most profound philosophers of our time. You could even go as far to say that he founded a sort of religion, a religion where people praise his lifestyle of sailing, sleeping, and relaxing.