'Margaritaville' singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett dead at 76

Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett has died at the age of 76.

"Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs," said a post on his X social media account early Saturday.

"He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many."

The Mississippi-born musician and his Coral Reefer band canceled several shows on their Second Wind tour in May, so that Buffett could address undisclosed "immediate medical issues."

An obituary posted on his website said he had been battling Merkel Cell Skin Cancer for four years and continued to perform as he underwent treatment.

He played his last show in Rhode Island in early July.

Buffett is best known for his songs "Margaritaville," "Cheeseburger in Paradise," "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere," "Come Monday" and "Fins."

Members of his devoted fanbase call themselves "parrotheads" and wear Hawaiian shirts.

President Joe Biden on Saturday issued a statement mourning the loss of the performer.

"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," Biden said.

"His witty, wistful songs celebrate a uniquely American cast of characters and seaside folkways, weaving together an unforgettable musical mix of country, folk, rock, pop, and calypso into something uniquely his own."

The president said he and first lady Jill Biden "send our love" to Buffett's family and to his "millions of fans who will continue to love him even as his ship now sails for new shores."

The musician was also a successful author, penning Tales from Margaritaville, Where Is Joe Merchant?, A Pirate Looks at Fifty, The Jolly Mon, Trouble Dolls, A Salty Piece of Land and Swine Not?

A fixture on the late-night talk show circuit for years, the beach lifestyle brand ambassador also acted occasionally, appearing in Jurassic World, Blue Bloods and Hawaii Five-O.

Buffett is survived by his wife Jane Slagsvol and their three children: Savannah, Sarah and Cameron.