George Strait tour takes ‘Troubadour’ on the road in summer 2009

Singer-songwriter George Strait will continue to hold his title as the King of Country Music in summer 2009 with a new tour of North America. The musician has nearly 20 weekend performances currently slated, from a May 9 concert at Dodge Arena in Hidalgo, TX, through a July 25 show at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, IL.

Regular tour stops will feature Strait on May 22 at Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, OH, and June 12 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Virginia Beach, VA, among other places. However, a couple special gigs on the itinerary will take the country legend into Canada for a July 11 performance at the Calgary Stampede at the Exhibition Grounds in Calgary, AB, and a July 12 appearance at the Craven Country Jamboree at Qu’Appelle Valley in Craven, SK.

Public on-sale dates have not yet been announced for the summer tour, though tickets for some of his concert event appearances are already available. According to the performer’s Web site, additional major tour dates will be announced early in 2009.

Strait is touring behind his April 2008 album, “Troubadour,” which topped both the Billboard 200 and the country album charts. The Gold-certified album’s first single, “I Saw God Today,” debuted at No. 19 on the country song charts and went on to become Strait’s 43rd chart-topping single.

In the past few months, Strait has been honored with multiple award nominations and wins for “Troubadour.” The musician received five Country Music Award nominations, winning for the categories Single of the Year (“I Saw God Today”) and Album of the Year, as well as for his role as co-producer with Tony Brown.

During the inaugural Grammy Nominations Concert on December 3, Strait received four nominations, most notably Best Male Country Performance for “Troubadour,” and Best Country Album. He was also nominated twice in the category for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for “House of Cash” with Patty Loveless and “Shiftwork” with Kenny Chesney.

George Strait itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)