At their Las Vegas show at the new Sphere venue, Bono dedicated the song “Love Rescue Me” to Jimmy Buffett and his family who were in attendance. He called out each by name: Jane, Savannah, Delaney, and Cameron, and also called out Jimmy’s doctors.

Bono choked up and said “it’s so hard to say goodbye to someone.”

Watch below:

Jimmy Buffett’s wife of 46 years, Jane, posted this heartfelt message tonight to Jimmy’s fans, their friends and family, and to the health care team that worked with Jimmy the last few years.

Jimmy and Jane at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party in March 2023

Watch a young Jimmy and Jane together in the music video for “Come Monday”:

In a memorandum issued Thursday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ordered flags in Key West and Tallahassee to be flown at half-staff to honor Jimmy Buffett:

On Friday, September 1, 2023, Florida resident and legendary musician Jimmy Buffett passed away after battling cancer. Born in Mississippi and raised in Alabama, Buffett moved to Key West in his early years to build a legacy. An inductee of the Florida Artists Hall of Fame, Buffett captured the Florida lifestyle and entertained generations of Floridians with his relaxed “Floridays” style that embodied the spirit of the Gulf Coast and Conch Republic. A global entertainer, Buffett’s song “Margaritaville” led to successes on the stage and off the charts — becoming a namesake for his business ventures, which include restaurants, resorts, and a lifestyle brand.

A lifelong conservationist, Buffett spearheaded efforts to protect the manatee, Florida’s State Marine Mammal, through the Save the Manatee License Plate. Buffett’s appreciation for Florida’s landmark Everglades was reinforced through philanthropic efforts and song.

Floridians “Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season” are encouraged to commemorate the legacy of our adopted native son by raising their margarita glass and enjoying a cheeseburger here in paradise to wish the “Son of a Son of a Sailor” well.

To commemorate his life and legacy, I hereby direct the flags of the United States and the State of Florida to be flown at half-staff at the Monroe County Courthouse in Key West, Florida, City of Key West City Hall, and at the State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida, from 5:00 PM today to 5:00 PM on Friday September 8, 2023, because it’s always five o’clock somewhere.

On her Instagram on Wednesday evening, Jimmy Buffett’s daughter Delaney shared a moving tribute to her father.

“I knew my dad my whole life, but in his final days, I saw who he was: a man whose spirit could not be broken.

Despite the pain, he smiled everyday. He was kind when he had every excuse not to be. He told us not to be sad or scared, but to keep the party going. And as much as I’d like to use that as an excuse to drink myself into an oblivion worthy of his literary heroes, I know it’s not what he meant. Yes, he loved his weed and his wine, but the truth is, most of the time, he was just high on life, and that is what he wanted for everyone: to enjoy the fantastic trip that life can be.

My dad was the joy he sang about. He was the hardest working person I’ve ever seen. He was a great man and an even better dad to my brother, sister and me. He was generous with friends and strangers alike. He had a deep admiration for the people he worked with, and he never took himself too seriously, which is probably what I loved most about him. When I showed him the South Park episodes that parody him, he loved chuckling along. I remember teasing him about their Margaritaville blender jokes, and without missing a beat, he zinged me with: “You live off those fucking blenders!” He got me there.

Over the past few days, people have thanked me for sharing my dad with them, but I know he would have wanted me to thank his fans for sharing their lives with him. We are his family, but the stage was his home, and you, his band, and everyone on the road gave him the strength to keep going back. I’ll pass along something my mom said to me: “Whenever you feel said or lost, look for the messages in his music. There are plenty.”

My dad repeatedly told us how much he appreciated the doctors, nurses, and every person who was there for him during his battle with cancer. So to those who took care of my dad at home and in the hospital, I want to thank you for giving us more time together. I am eternally grateful.

To the family and friends supporting us during this time, thank you for reminding me of the importance of human connection. I knew laughter was the best medicine, but it’s never rung truer than it does now. “If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane.”

And a big thank you to everyone for your tributes, stories, and notes. My dad and I shared a love for words, so reading yours has lit up my darkest hour.

And finally, to my dad, thank you. You turned nothing into something and gave me everything. I will never be able to repay you or my mom for my beautiful life. I will love you forever, and I will always keep the party going (responsibly, of course).

Watch the docuseries ‘Songs You Don’t Know By Heart’ that was directed by Delaney Buffett on Youtube.

In two separate articles, Jimmy Buffett’s sisters Laurie and Lucy (LuLu) talk about their brother Jimmy and what he meant to them.

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A post shared by Laurie Mcguane (@lala_buffett)

From People: Jimmy Buffett’s Sister Reveals They Faced Cancer at the Same Time: ‘Thunderstruck He Didn’t Make It’

As the singer-songwriter, who died on Sept. 1 at age 76, dealt with a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma, Laurie Buffett McGuane, his younger sister, was told she also had cancer.

“Jimmy and I were diagnosed with cancer about the same time,” Laurie, 74, tells PEOPLE. “It was four years ago and Jimmy was actually diagnosed first. When Jimmy found out [I had cancer] he brought the whole family and the dogs to Montana to be with me.”

Laurie — who had pancreatic cancer — says her and her brother’s diagnoses came around the time that the COVID pandemic was in full swing, meaning the family had to take their quality time outside, where they’d eat meals together.

Though she underwent surgery at Duke University and sought treatment in Montana and is now cancer-free, Laurie says she and her late brother, whom she called Bubba, leaned on each other during the difficult time.

“Jimmy and I became closer because of our cancers. We talked before and after our scans,” she recalls. “We shared a club that nobody wants to join. I am thunderstruck that Jimmy didn’t make it.”

Laurie — whom the family affectionately calls Lala — adds that the “Margaritaville” singer was very much a source of inspiration as she underwent treatment, and helped push her to continue living life as normally as she could.

“I rode my horse during my treatments and tried to continue with my life the same way Jimmy has done,” says Laurie, who is married to author Tom McGuane.

Buffett kept his cancer battle private, but had been forced in recent months to cancel shows due to illness — something Laurie says devastated him, as she knew just how important to Buffett his Parrothead fans were.

“Jimmy wanted to perform the shows that he had to cancel,” she says. “He brought joy to so many. I am very emotional now. When Jimmy was in the world, I felt safe. Even though I have Tom, it will be a whole new thing for me to be without my brother Jimmy.”

Laurie and Buffett, along with their sister Lucy (or Lulu), were raised in Alabama. Even as a youngster, Buffett had a nurturing spirit; Laurie recalls the time she broke her leg in eighth grade, and Buffett made a special trip to the grocery store to buy her chocolate milk so that she’d have it when she came home from the hospital.

Laurie can still recall Buffett’s early days as a musician, playing in New Orleans dive bars, and holding onto faith that he’d someday make it big.

“Jimmy always had a dream that he pursued until the end,” she says. “He did a lot of things in between, but hit Key West when he was pretty unknown, and never gave up, up until crowds began coming to listen to him perform. He was a phenomenal person.”

She adds that she and Lulu were among the family members by Buffett’s side when he died, and that the siblings shared childhood memories with the star in his final days.

After his death, Laurie shared an old childhood photo to Instagram, writing: “Lulu and I were just with Bubba. We talked about our childhood where only siblings can relate. I told him I’ve known him longer than anyone on the planet. He smiled with those twinkling blue eyes and squeezed my hand.”

From KeysNews.com, written by LuLu: Many wonder the same: What’s a world without Jimmy?

How do we live in a world without Jimmy? He was never supposed to die! With the amazing outpouring of love and grief streaming on social media and the many texts, emails, and phone messages I have received, it seems that so many feel the same way as I do.

Jimmy was so many things to so many people. For me, I always felt safe in a world that he was in because as my big brother, he felt like my protector. When he played the amphitheater in Key West last February, I remember gazing around and thinking, I have known him longer than anyone here, along with my sister, LaLa. Maybe not as well as others, as he married and had his own family, but we had the destiny of knowing him as a kid and the three of us had common goals to supersede our humble beginnings. That was a strong bond that only the three of us could understand. He paved the way for that to happen for all of us in a bigger way than we ever imagined.

Bubba, his childhood nickname and how we refer to him, always kept his Southern Gulf Coast roots and the importance of family anchored in the vast depth of his psyche. Like my father and grandfather, everything he did in pursuit of a successful career was to provide for his family — his wife and his children were his anchors and his motivators that kept his incessant drive in check but still allowed him to enjoy the “fruits of his labor.” BIG TIME! LOL. Still, the family had to share him with so many and that was hard at times though ultimately a blessing that enriched all our lives.

Continue reading LuLu’s article at KeysNews.com