Jimmy Buffett’s 2nd Wife Left Him for 6 Years After the ‘Craziest Times’ With the ‘Confirmed Narcissist’
Jimmy Buffett’s wife once revealed the singer’s personal life could stand in stark contrast to his laid-back music, but his personal life was once a little more dramatic. The singer, who died in 2023 of skin cancer, had a history of partying and substance abuse that got so bad his second wife separated from him for six years.
Who was Jimmy Buffett’s wife?
Buffett pursued a career in music throughout the late ’60s and early ’70s. In the early days of his career, he was married to Margie Washichek; the pair tied the knot in 1969 but split in 1971. The Mississippi native’s big break came in 1972, when he started releasing music that combined country, rock, calypso, and pop.
Buffett was successful and had a large fan base. But he didn’t have a hit song until 1977, with the now-iconic “Margaritaville.” Around the same time, Buffett met Jane Slagsvol, a University of South Carolina student, while she was on spring break in Key West.
The couple soon wed, and Slagsvol helped Buffett and the rest of the band, the Coral Reefers, clean up their onstage look, getting rid of grungy jeans and t-shirts and introducing a more polished look.
Why Jimmy Buffett and his second wife Jane Slagsvol separated
While the pair initially bonded over their love of partying and having fun, Slagsvol eventually wanted the rockstar to settle down. Buffett was unwilling, which, combined with his lucrative career and love of the spotlight, led to complications in their marriage.
“Yes, I’m a confirmed narcissist because there was nobody back there who gave a s*** at the time,” Buffett told the Daily Mail in 2015. “You were on your own, and you better be good.”
The singer’s reputation for loving good times preceded him, and new friends often tried to outdo each other when it came to partying. Most who met the singer tried to play up his reputation by showing off, something Buffet came to despise.
The wild times became too much for Slagsvol, and in a difficult moment, she eventually decided to leave him. At the time, the couple shared a daughter, Savannah, born in 1979.
“I had been with Jimmy since I was a child, through the craziest times,” she explained in 1998. “And I didn’t have a clue who I was. So I left. I got sober.”
Buffett and his wife reconciled after 6 years apart
After six years together, Jimmy Buffet and his wife Jane Slagsvol called it quits and moved to Malibu. Six years after the separation, the couple got together to finalize the divorce but ended up reconciling. In 1992, they had a second daughter, Sarah, and adopted a son, Cameron, in 1994.
Buffett has since made millions with his Margaritaville franchise, which boasts hotels, resorts, and restaurants. Buffett and Slagsvol were together up until the singer’s death in 2023. In a touching tribute, Jane Slagsvol described Jimmy Buffet as filled with joy and celebrated his sense of humor.
Beyond helping keep his life on track, Jimmy Buffet’s wife was the inspiration behind some of the songs that made Buffet a household name.
How to get help: In the U.S., contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
