Jimmy Buffett‘s cause of death has been revealed.
According to an obituary for the “Margaritaville” singer, he had been privately “fighting Merkel cell skin cancer for four years.” According to the American Cancer Society, Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare type of skin cancer that develops when cells grow “out of control” and can spread quickly to other parts of the body.
“He continued to perform during treatment, playing his last show, a surprise appearance in Rhode Island, in early July,” the obituary read, which was posted on Buffett’s official website on Friday, September 1.
Buffett’s team announced hours earlier on Friday that he had died at the age of 76. “Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs,” a statement on his Instagram read. “He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”
Per the obituary, Buffett passed away at his home in Sag Harbor, Long Island, surrounded by his family. Buffett is survived by his wife, Jane Slagsvol, and their three children: Savannah, Sarah and Cameron. He is also survived by sister Laurie McGuane, grandson Marley, multiple nieces and nephews and a “devoted pack” of six dogs.
Buffett’s family requested that donations be made to Jimmy Buffett’s Foundation Singing for Change, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute or MD Anderson Cancer Center in lieu of flowers.
Buffett — who previously canceled a series of concerts in May following a hospital stay — was a prolific singer-songwriter and inspired many celebrities’ own careers.
“@jimmybuffett was my musical hero and an embodiment of the kind of person you strive to be outside of music,” country singer Jake Owen wrote via Instagram on Saturday, September 2. “He lived for surfing, embraced a barefoot lifestyle, and sang songs that celebrated the essence of living life to the fullest.”
Owen, 42, added: “I’ll miss him dearly, but I’ll also remember that we all have our moment when we’re called home. It’s the legacy we leave behind and the kind of person we are that truly matter. Jimmy is the kind of person I aspire to be — leaving behind smiles and a few footprints in the sand. Rest in peace, my friend. Fins up.”
President Joe Biden, for his part, also penned a heartfelt tribute to Buffett. “A poet of paradise, Jimmy Buffett was an American music icon who inspired generations to step back and find the joy in life and in one another,” the U.S. commander-in-chief, 80, wrote via social media. “We had the honor to meet and get to know Jimmy over the years, and he was in life as he was performing on stage — full of goodwill and joy, using his gift to bring people together.”
