Jimmy Buffett worked hard to build a business based on taking it easy.
His 1977 song "Margaritaville" spawned an entire "island escapism" brand. As chairman of Margarita Holdings LLC — in which Buffett held a 28% stake — he had resorts, restaurants, casinos, cruises and merchandise, and his business acumen landed him on theMeanwhile, The Margaritaville café on the Las Vegas strip was said to be the top-grossing restaurant in the nation.
Buffett's 1992 collection titled "Boats, Beaches, Bars, and Ballads" became one of the best-selling box sets ever and his annual summer concert tours with his Coral Reefer Band became major events, drawing thousands of fans known as "Parrotheads," who would dress up in Hawaiian shirts, leis, funny hats and other mellow party accessories. Some would follow Buffet's tour from city to city.