Jimmy Buffett Day: Florida 'Margaritaville' license plate, memorial highway announced

Tomorrow's right around the corner and we'll all get there somehow, but Floridians could soon be able to drive on the official Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway — with a "Margaritaville" license plate to get there.

Florida legislators dedicated Thursday to the late Sunshine-State loving musician, who died in September at the age of 76: Both the Florida House of Representatives and Senate moved bills along to honor Buffett's legacy.

Sen. Gayle Harrell, R-Jupiter, and Rep. Linda Chaney, R-St. Petersburg, are sponsoring companion bills to create a Florida specialty license plate in Buffett's honor.

Also, Sen. Lauren Book, D-Davie, and Rep. Chuck Clemmons, R-Newberry, are sponsoring companion bills to rename State Road A1A throughout Florida as the Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway.

All bills passed their first committee hearings Thursday.

With his "crinkled smile, breezy tunes and barefoot stage presence," Buffett "encompassed the persona of a beach bum," USA TODAY wrote last year.

He eventually transformed that image, which "spawned unparalleled devotion from fans," into "branded restaurants, books, beer, resorts, a Broadway show and cruise line, establish(ing) Buffett as a bona fide mogul."

There's a local connection: Tallahassee, Florida lobbyist Jeffrey Sharkey, a longtime friend of Buffett, has represented Margaritaville Holdings.

The lawmakers were joined Thursday by the Tallahassee Parrot Head Club and the singer-songwriter's daughter, sister and niece.

"Somebody said that my dad didn't live to be 100; he just did it in three-quarter time," said Savannah Buffett, his daughter. "This is such a wonderful tribute."

Buffett died at his home in Sag Harbor on Long Island, New York, from skin cancer, according to an obituary posted to his official website.

He had been battling Merkel cell skin cancer for four years, which the National Cancer Institute describes as a rare carcinoma that usually appears as a single painless lump on sun-exposed skin and tends to metastasize quickly. It is second to melanoma as the most common cause of skin cancer death.

Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa.

Contributing: Kim Willis, USA TODAY

Jimmy Buffett'scause of death was Merkel cell skin cancer, which he battled for 4 years