Keith Urban Pays Respect To Jimmy Buffett & His ‘Incredible Legacy’ In Heartfelt Tribute

Sep 14, 2023

At 76, Jimmy Buffett passed away on Sept. 1, 2023, as confirmed by a post shared on his official Instagram account. While many were surprised at his death, some loyal fans of his, who call themselves Parrotheads, remembered that he was rushed to the hospital in May 2023 with an undisclosed medical condition. 

Buffett was an American singer-songwriter, a musician, an author and a businessman. Known for his laidback musical style, which blended elements of rock, folk, country, and even Caribbean influences, Buffett’s escapist tunes were described as telling the stories of “the hustlers, the beach bums and the pirates from all corners of the world.” He is also known for pioneering the subgenre of “Gulf and Western,” which combined tropical and coastal themes with country and folk sounds. 

Buffett was known for his live performances, which featured elaborate beach-theme backdrops and setups, which fans had grown to love because of the fun and party-like atmosphere of his concerts. 

Although his main expertise is music, Buffett also ventured into entertainment and business. He wrote several books, including memoirs and fiction. Aside from being a renowned writer, he also owned a chain of restaurants, products and resorts named after one of his most popular songs, “Margaritaville.” 

Buffett was considered an icon in American pop culture because of his impact and contributions to music. Since his passing, fans and friends of Buffett have taken to social media to share their fondest memories of the late star. On Sept. 2, 2023, just one day after Buffett’s passing, country music singer Keith Urban gave an emotional tribute in Buffett’s honor.

Born Dec. 25, 1946, in Pascagoula, Mississippi, in the United States, Buffett grew up in Mobile, Alabama, and attended the University of Southern Mississippi, where he studied and graduated with a journalism degree in 1969. 

He went on to pursue his passion for journalism before becoming a full-time musician when he arrived in Nashville, Tennessee. Eventually, Buffett’s distinct sound birthed something unique — which included country, rock, folk and even Caribbean influences. 

"It's pure escapism is all it is...I'm not the first one to do it, nor shall I probably be the last. But I think it's really a part of the human condition that you've got to have some fun. You've got to get away from whatever you do to make a living or other parts of life that stress you out. I try to make it at least 50/50 fun to work and so far it's worked out,” he described his sound as quoted by The Associated Press. 

Buffett owned the laid-back and beach-style sound, which translated into his very own line of Margaritaville restaurants and beach resorts. The chain of retirement communities was aptly called Latitude Margaritaville. The first community opened in Daytona Beach, Florida. The light and breezy architecture and interior design of the homes made everyone feel as if they were on vacation all year long. A myriad of restaurants, happy hours on the beach and more kept residents happy and connected. 

Per TMZ, Buffett’s cause of death was attributed to skin cancer, which eventually metastasized into lymphoma. 

“Jimmy passed away on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs,” a statement read. “He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”

Since his passing, fans of Buffett took to social media to mourn. In honoring the late singer, the fans revealed what they thought was Buffett’s most memorable song in his career. Although he was known for his song “Margaritaville,” fans cherish a lot of other songs from his discography as well.  

“Very sad to hear Jimmy Buffett has died. My very Miami, very salt-soaked, grew up on the ocean, dad sang me (a cleaned up) version of A Pirate Looks at Forty as my bedtime song when I was a little kid. I'll always call it Mother Mother Ocean. Rest In Peace,” a fan revealed. 

“A Pirate Looks at Forty” was one of his most popular songs; it was even covered by Bob Dylan and Joan Baez in 1982. 

“The double-sided Coconut Telegraph/Son of A Sailor tape was like 30% of my childhood,” another attested. “Coconut Telegraph” and “Son of a Son of a Sailor” were both titles of Buffett’s eighth and tenth albums, respectively, and the titles of their lead title tracks too. 

Another fan recalled hearing a lot of Buffett when he was still a kid, which is why one of his favorite songs was “He Went To Paris,” his 1973 song from the album “A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean.” 

Some fans also took the time to wish Buffett some peace, suggesting he enjoy heaven’s banquet. 

“I am so sad to hear of the passing of Jimmy Buffet. He was an absolute legend. Many fun nights were spent singing his songs over the years. I hope he’s enjoying his cheeseburger in Paradise, and a Margarita too. Cheers Jimmy. May you RIP,” a fan posted. 

On Sept. 3, 2023, country music singer Keith Urban took to Instagram to share a video of himself singing a Jimmy Buffett classic. Urban is best known for his songs such as “You Look Good in My Shirt,” “You’ll Think of Me” and “Kiss a Girl.”

The Instagram video’s caption said, “For Jimmy, last night in Atlantic City.”

“I want to take a second to acknowledge the passing of an incredible musician, Jimmy Buffett,” Urban said. “I was shocked today to hear about that and was immediately thinking about a time that we got to go down to St. Barts and we got an invite from Jimmy to go and have dinner with him and his wife.”

Buffett had convinced Urban to get his guitar and go to a bar with him so they could perform together. Urban’s wife, actress Nicole Kidman, was also with them. Urban said it was an “honor to know him” and that Buffett left behind “an incredible legacy of music.”

Urban went on to perform “Come Monday,” which was one of the first songs he learned how to play on guitar, as well as Buffett’s beloved “Margaritaville.”

Fans were fond of the kind-hearted gesture from Urban and made sure to express their love in the comment section of a YouTube video of the performance. “Thank you Keith for the tribute too Jimmy Buffett. What a amazing man we all lost.And i personally think it was a wonderful tribute too him.❤️,” one person wrote.

Fans also expressed their gratitude for the tribute under Urban’s Instagram post. “For Jimmy; Keith Urban, you are continually demonstrating how it’s done with class and grace. Thank you,” one person said.

Were you a fan of Jimmy Buffett? What is your favorite or most memorable song or performance from him? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends and other Jimmy Buffett fans!