Jimmy Buffett was the poet of paradise who created a genre of beach bum music, which gave way to a lifestyle.
The so-called Mayor of Margaritaville created a billion-dollar empire, inspired millions with his relaxing tunes and created a fan-base lovingly known as Parrotheads.
Buffett passed away from cancer on Sept. 1, 2023 at the age of 76. When news first broke about his death, fans around the world mourned, but that sadness quickly turned into a celebration. Residents of Key West gathered outside his old recording studio in Key West, leaving shakers of salt and flowers in his honor and then marched down the street singing his famous hits.
“We’re mourning, but we don’t get sad,” said Paul Menta, who organized the parade in Buffett’s honor.
“In our hearts and in our minds, and in the state of mind, Jimmy Buffett will always live on,” said Andy Newman, with the Florida Keys News Bureau.
Local 10′s Janine Stanwood celebrates Jimmy Buffett’s life and his music in Key West, where it all started in Local 10′s special, Jimmy Buffett: A Trip Around the Sun.