The singer-songwriter sold 20 million records from his greatest hit, “Margaritaville,” created a lifestyle brand of tropical breezes, frozen cocktails and laid-back escapism.
But “Margaritaville,” a melancholy story of lost love and resigned regret, remained his signature anthem and featured a refrain that resounded far beyond his fan base:Some people claim that there’s a woman to blameHe claimed to have tossed off the song in six minutes, later telling the CBS News program “60 Minutes” that it was “just another song going on the album, you know? That’s the way I looked at it. And then — never in my wildest dream did I ever think it would do what it did. Never.
Forbes estimated his worth at $550 million, and he built a long-term friendship with financier Warren Buffett, whom he called “Uncle Warren” even though a DNA test determined they were unrelated. Both parents held office jobs for shipbuilding companies. Though he had a strained relationship with his father, Mr. Buffett was close with his grandfather, who had been a sea captain and regaled him with tales of the high seas that triggered a lifelong passion for the water.
Frustrated by the weather, a faltering first marriage , and a career that seemed to be ending before it began, he headed to Coconut Grove, Fla., at the invitation of singer-songwriterOne day, in what Mr. Buffett described as a life-altering decision, they jumped into Walker’s 1947 Packard bound for Key West and arrived in time for the sunset, and for a daily ritual in which hippies free-danced on the beach to conga drums.
In 1977, Mr. Buffett married Jane Slagsvol, whom he met in Key West while she was on spring break from college. The Eagles played at their wedding reception. The couple had a daughter, Savannah, before separating for several years. They reunited in the early 1990s and had two more children, Sarah and Cameron. A complete list of survivors was not immediately available.
Along with his wife and business partner John Cohlan, Mr. Buffett grew ambitious about expanding the brand and opened more venues. He also sold an expanding line of Margaritaville merchandise, including shoes, T-shirts, flip-flops, varieties of tequila and beer, and the “lost shaker of salt” referred to in the song. He created Radio Margaritaville, a streaming radio station devoted to his music, which is offered on Sirius XM.
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