ATLANTA — Following Jimmy Buffett's death at the age of 76 over the weekend, friend and collaborator Alan Jackson posted a tribute to Instagram, writing: "RIP my friend."
Jackson and Buffett famously recorded the 2003 song, "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" together.
In his Instagram post this weekend, Newnan native Jackson quoted Buffett's song, "Boats to Build" - another song on which Buffett and the country superstar collaborated.
"Shores distant shores,
There's where I'm headed for,
I got the stars to guide my way,
Sail into the light of day..." #BoatsToBuild
Buffett's death was announced late Friday.
“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.”
Later over the weekend, the cause of Buffett's death was revealed as a rare type of skin cancer, called Merkel cell carcinoma.
The cancer tends to spread quickly to other parts of the body and usually develops in older people.
Illness had forced the 76-year-old to reschedule concerts in May and Buffett acknowledged in social media posts that he had been hospitalized but provided no specifics at the time.
According to the statement, Buffett continued to perform while receiving treatment and played his last show in early July during a surprise appearance in Rhode Island.
The family requested donations be made to Jimmy Buffett’s Foundation Singing for Change, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute or MD Anderson Cancer Center.