Rejoice Parrot Heads! Today, August 30, is Jimmy Buffett Day! He was truly one-of-a-kind. His music had a message - kick up your heels and seize the day gratefully, joyfully, and with both hands (except maybe the hand holding a margarita!).
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Buffett's insouciant attitude, buoyance, and irrepressible good humor are all part of his everlasting legacy.
Add Jimmy Buffett Day to your calendar of holidays. Maybe you have not heard of it. We're happy to tell you all about this tribute to the man and his glorious music!
What Happened To Jimmy Buffett?
He Passed Away in 2023 Of A Rare Skin Cancer
He "died on Sept. 2 of last year due to complications from Merkel-cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive skin cancer, with which he had been diagnosed four years earlier," according to the Naples (Fla.) Daily News.
Per the Daily News, a statement issued after his death and posted on social media and on his website read as follows: "Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music, and dogs. He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many."
How Jimmy Buffett Day Came To Be
The Holiday In His Memory Was Created By The Florida Legislature
In 2024, the Florida House of Representatives named August 30 Jimmy Buffett Day. "The resolution seeks to celebrate the life and music of Jimmy Buffett, whose 'free-spirited life and significant contributions to national and state culture are commended and celebrated.'"
How He Became Identified With Florida
Buffett Was Not Born There
Buffett's roots were firmly in Mississippi and Alabama. He attended Auburn University, graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi, and did some writing for Billboard magazine. Buffett also had a passion for music. His career as a musician seemed to stall while he was in Nashville, so he headed for the Sunshine State. His luck changed when he discovered the Florida Keys - and it discovered him.
Jimmy Buffett moved there. embracing the freewheeling lifestyle and the culture. He played informal music engagements in the evening and toiled on a fishing vessel as well.
"The Florida Division of Arts further shares that his songwriting blossomed and he penned several of his most iconic hits while residing in the state."
The ambiance of Key West led to the creation of Buffett's most classic song, 1977's "Margaritaville."
So in honor of Jimmy Buffett Day, grab your margarita, don a riotously-hued Hawaiian shirt, and drink a toast to the late, great Jimmy Buffett!
