Jimmy Buffett, the singer-songwriter famed for his laid-back "island escapism" and hit "Margaritaville," died three years ago today (1 September 2023) at his home in Sag Harbor, New York, aged 76, following a battle with cancer. He built one of music's most recognisable brands around a beach-and-cocktails lifestyle, later expanding it into a global chain of Margaritaville resorts and restaurants, and his devoted fanbase, known as Parrot Heads, continues to celebrate his legacy at these venues and through his catalogue of songs.

Buffett's path to fame began with busking in New Orleans before an unsuccessful stint chasing country stardom in Nashville, where his 1970 debut album sold only around 300 copies. A chance invitation from outlaw country singer Jerry Jeff Walker led him to Key West, Florida, a place he fell in love with and later called home. His breakthrough came with 1977's "Margaritaville," and he went on to score further hits including "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" with Alan Jackson (2003) and "Knee Deep" with Zac Brown Band (2011), while the Margaritaville hospitality brand, launched as a cafe in Key West in 1985, expanded to dozens of locations worldwide.