American singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, best known for his 1977 hit Margaritaville, has died aged 76.
"Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs," a statement from his family on his website announced.
"He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many."
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The family mentioned no cause of death in its statement.
Buffett was still touring and performing shortly before his death but had no upcoming tour dates despite rumours of more shows across 2023 and 2024.
Illness had forced him to reschedule concerts in May and Buffett acknowledged in social media posts that he had been hospitalised, but provided no specifics.
Margaritaville was an easy-listening classic, in which the main character of the song drowns his sorrows in margaritas on account of a failed romance.
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It contains the memorable line: "Some people claim that there's a woman to blame but I know it's my own damn fault".
The song quickly took on a life of its own, becoming a state of mind for those "wastin' away," an excuse for a life of low-key fun and escapism for those "growing older, but not up".
"What seems like a simple ditty about getting blotto and mending a broken heart turns out to be a profound meditation on the often painful inertia of beach dwelling," Spin magazine wrote in 2021.
"The tourists come and go, one group indistinguishable from the other. Waves crest and break whether somebody is there to witness it or not. Everything that means anything has already happened and you're not even sure when."
Later in Buffett's life, Margaritaville became the name of a range of businesses and products in his business empire, with Buffett landing at number 13 in Forbes' America's Richest Celebrities in 2016 with a net worth of $850 million.
The singer is survived by wife Jane Slagsvolv and their three children – daughters Savannah Buffett and Sarah Delaney Buffett, and adopted son Cameron Buffett.
