Jimmy Buffett had been fighting skin cancer at the time of death

CHICAGO (NewsNation) — Singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, who popularized beach bum soft rock with the escapist Caribbean-flavored song “Margaritaville” and turned that celebration of loafing into an empire, died from Merkel Cell Skin Cancer, according to his website.

Buffett had been fighting cancer for four years, undergoing treatments while still performing on tour, the obituary said. It progressed into lymphoma, sources told TMZ, and Buffett had reportedly been receiving hospice care.

He died peacefully late Friday night surrounded by family and friends 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 posted to Buffett’s official website and social media pages said late Friday. “He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”

Illness had forced him to reschedule concerts in May and Buffett acknowledged in social media posts that he had been hospitalized but provided no specifics.

His final performance was in Rhode Island in early July.

Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare type of skin cancer, according to Mayo Clinic. It typically appears as flesh-colored or bluish-red nodules on your face, head, or neck. Merkel cell carcinoma can grow fast and spread quickly, and is often seen in older people with a weakened immune system or after long-term sun exposure.

Buffett celebrated slackers before the word existed, even though he was hardly one himself.

“Wastin’ away again in Margaritaville,” went the chorus to his most famous song, which became an international singalong. But Buffett was actually an astute, ambitious, aggressive businessman.

Buffett built an empire based largely on Caribbean-flavored pop that celebrated the Florida Keys, sunshine and nightlife. His name became synonymous with a laid-back subtropical party vibe, and his fans were known as Parrotheads.

But behind the laid-back exterior, Buffett was an admitted workaholic. He expanded into novels, nightclubs and many other ventures. At one time his estimated annual income was more than $40 million, and his revenue sources extended far beyond a musician’s typical business model of album sales, concert tickets and souvenir T-shirts.

He became a pop star in 1977, when “Margaritaville” cracked the Top 10. The song has provided a soundtrack to countless happy hours in the decades since.

Regardless of his commercial achievements, Buffett’s legacy will be, in his words, “helping people forget their troubles for a couple of hours.”

In lieu of flowers, Buffett’s family has asked that donations be made to his foundation, Singing for Change; Brigham and Women’s Hospital; the Dana Farber Cancer Institute; or the MD Anderson Cancer Center.

The Associated Press and Nexstar Media Wire contributed to this report.