Jimmy Buffett died after a four-year fight with a rare form of skin cancer, his website says

SAG HARBOR, N.Y. (AP) — A statement on Jimmy Buffett’s website has disclosed the cause of the singer-songwriter’s death: a rare, aggressive skin cancer. The statement says the 76-year-old had Merkel cell cancer and died at his home in Sag Harbor, New York. The statement was posted after initial news of the “Margaritaville” singer’s death emerged Saturday. He had been fighting the cancer for four years while continuing to perform. The federal National Cancer Institute and the Mayo Clinic say that Merkel cell carcinoma is very rare and tends to spread quickly. Risk factors include a lot of sun exposure, a weakened immune system, a history of other cancers, and being light-skinned and over 50.