Jimmy Buffett claims to be a firm believer in the concept of the full circle, the tendency of events and situations in life to come back to where they started. His ties to New Orleans seem to bear out that theory.

In the waning moments of the '60s, the laissez-faire latitudes and attitudes of Bourbon Street forged young Buffett's musical persona. One of his buddies in those days was feIlow hippie Quint Davis, the proprietor of the "LoveShop," a hea...