As he did in 2001, Jimmy Buffett [ tickets ] will start his 2002 tour schedule with a short string of February dates. Four shows have been confirmed so far, all of which are set in Buffett's home base of Florida.

The outing will begin on Valentine's Day in Tallahassee, and subsequent stops are scheduled in Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa and Orlando. Tickets for all four dates hit the box office on Jan. 12, according to Buffett's official website.

In March, Buffett will release the album "Far Side of the World" on his own independent label, Mailboat Records. The album was originally slated to hit stores on Oct. 23, but according to several popular Buffett fan sites, was delayed due to its potentially controversial cover art. Shot prior to the Sept. 11 attacks, the artwork features a turban-wearing Buffett seated atop a camel. The singer-songwriter reportedly explained the delay during an Oct. 13 benefit performance on Long Island.

"We had a few problems with our new album," Buffett said, according to BuffettNews.com. "We were all set to bring it out [on Oct. 23] but then ...The world changed and so did the album cover ..."

More information about the album, including a track listing and pictures of Buffett and his band in the recording studio, can be found at Buffett's Mailboat Records webpage.

Buffett turned 55 on Christmas.