Anthony Hamilton tour plays it ‘Cool’ across the U.S. this fall

With the final months of the year quickly approaching, soul man Anthony Hamilton has a reason to sing as he prepares for the release of a new album and the kick-off of his next tour. The six-time Grammy nominee will be hitting the road later this fall for the Playin’ It Cool Tour, which takes its name from his new album’s lead single and collaboration with rapper David Banner, “Cool.”

The U.S. tour circuit begins November 5 at the House of Blues in Chicago, IL, and wraps with a December 13 performance at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, CA. Highlights for the 25-city jaunt include a November 13 concert at the Lincoln Theater in Washington, DC, a November 19 gig at Blender Theater in New York, NY, and a December 4 show at the House of Blues in New Orleans, LA.

Hamilton’s sixth studio album “The Point of It All,” is set for release about a month into the tour on December 2. The record serves as the follow-up to 2007’s “Southern Comfort,” which peaked at No. 90 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the entertainment magazine’s independent album charts.

“I’ve had a lot more time to record songs that reflect where I’m at right now. So this album was more of a mind chore for me,” Hamilton is quoted on his Web site. “The goal is always to touch as many people as you can. But I always make sure to remain down home and grass-rooted. That’s what brought the fans in and keeps them with me.”

In addition to his solo work, Hamilton has also contributed to some big-name collaborations and silver screen soundtracks. According to his biography, the singer has spanned all types of musical genres and worked with the likes of soul icon Al Green, country star John Rich (of the duo Big & Rich), and acclaimed guitarist Carlos Santana. Most recently, he had a cameo in the film “American Gangster” and performed “Do You Feel Me” for the movie’s soundtrack.

Despite these accomplishments, Hamilton is far from being an overnight success story. The singer-songwriter debuted in 1996 with “XTC,” but after failing to chart, the album went out of print. After that, his sophomore release didn’t come for another seven years. But when “Comin’ From Where I’m From” hit in 2003, it debuted at No. 33 on the Billboard 200 and gave the singer the mainstream lift his career needed.

“It’s pretty much the same rhythm, the same core, and that allows me to do a country song then bounce back to rap and then gospel,” Hamilton explained in a statement on his site. “At the end of the day, it’s what the heart and soul are saying; it’s what I’ve got to say to people.”

Anthony Hamilton itinerary:
(Dates subject to change.)