Jimmy Buffett’s cause of death has been revealed. According to an obituary posted on the legendary “Margaritaville” singer’s official website, Jimmy passed away at 76 following a four-year battle with Merkel Cell skin cancer. “The beloved singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett passed away at his home in Sag Harbor, Long Island on Friday September 1, 2023 surrounded by family and friends. Buffett, 76, had been fighting Merkel Cell Skin Cancer for four years. He continued to perform during treatment, playing his last show, a surprise appearance in Rhode Island, in early July,” the obituary read.
Jimmy Buffett, whose sun-drenched songs celebrated life by the shore, died of a rare, aggressive skin cancer, according to a statement on his website.
Buffett, 76, had Merkel cell cancer, according to the statement, which was posted after initial news of his death emerged Saturday. The statement also disclosed where the “Margaritaville” singer died: at his home in Sag Harbor, New York, near the Hamptons.
He had been fighting the cancer for four years while continuing to perform, the last time making a surprise appearance in Rhode Island in early July, the statement said.
Merkel cell carcinoma, as it's known in medical literature, is very rare and tends to spread quickly, including to parts of the body beyond the skin, according to the federal National Cancer Institute and the Mayo Clinic. Risk factors include a lot of sun exposure, a weakened immune system, a history of other cancers, and being light-skinned and over 50.
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Buffett conjured an easygoing, sand-between-the-toes lifestyle in songs such as “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes” and “Margaritaville.” He built the latter into a brand that encompassed restaurants, clothing, casinos and more.
