Jimmy Buffett ‘died after four-year fight with rare form of skin cancer’

(Brett Duke /The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate/AP)

Jimmy Buffett, whose sun-drenched songs celebrated life by the shore, died of a rare, aggressive skin cancer, according to a statement on his website.

Buffett, 76, had Merkel cell cancer, according to the statement, which was posted after initial news of his death emerged on Saturday.