Paul McCartney shares memories of Jimmy Buffett in moving tribute: ‘He had a most amazing lust for life’

By Alli Rosenbloom, CNN

(CNN) — Paul McCartney is sending all his love to friend Jimmy Buffett, the beloved tropical rock musician who died Friday, according to a statement posted to his official website.

He was 76.

The Beatles icon posted a lengthy and moving tribute to Buffett on his verified Instagram page Saturday, where he wrote about some of the sweet memories the two musicians shared together.

“It seems that so many wonderful people are leaving this world, and now Jimmy Buffett is one of them,” he wrote, adding “I’ve known Jimmy for some time and found him to be one of the kindest and most generous people.”

He continued to write about a time Buffett had one of his “roadies” re-string one of his guitars so that McCartney, who is left-handed, was able to play after forgetting his own guitar while on a trip.

“He then followed this act of generosity by giving me my own beautiful left-handed guitar that had been made by one of his guitar-making pals,” he wrote. “It’s a beautiful instrument, and every time I play it now it’ll remind me of what a great man Jimmy was.”

The “Maybe I’m Amazed” singer also reminisced about a “real fun” recording session he did with Buffett on “one of his latest songs called ‘My Gummy Just Kicked In,’” where he was able to hear some of Buffett’s new, unreleased music.

“One, in particular, I loved was the song, ‘Bubbles Up’. And I told him that not only was the song great but the vocal was probably the best I’ve heard him sing ever,” he wrote, adding that Buffett “turned a diving phrase that is used to train people underwater into a metaphor for life when you’re confused and don’t know where you are just follow the bubbles.”

Buffett had been fighting Merkel cell skin cancer at the time of his death, according to an updated obituary posted to his official website. He had the disease for four years and continued to perform during treatment.

The singer-songwriter was briefly hospitalized in May following a trip to the Bahamas, according to a statement posted to his social media at the time. He updated his followers the next day that he was heading home from the hospital, and planned to take a “fishing trip with old friends.”

McCartney wrote in the tribute that Buffett “had a most amazing lust for life and a beautiful sense of humour.”

“Right up to the last minute his eyes still twinkled with a humour that said, ‘I love this world and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.’”

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