Alicia Keys tour fills in more ‘Freedom’ concerts for spring 2010

Fans of R&B musician Alicia Keys have a little something extra to celebrate this holiday season. The singer-songwriter and pianist added more than a dozen new dates to her previously announced 2010 spring tour itinerary, which supports her most recent release, “The Element of Freedom.”

Dates for the North American trek were originally blocked from February 28 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC, through April 6 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The itinerary is now extended through an April 9 engagement at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV.

Gaps in the nearly seven-week itinerary have also been filled in with new stops on March 5-6 at Fox Theater in Detroit, MI; March 25 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC; and April 3 at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX, among other dates.

Ticket sales have already started for select markets on Keys’ tour, while onsale dates for the newer additions to her calendar will be announced at a future date.

Keys will be touring behind her fourth studio album, “The Element of Freedom,” released in the U.S. on December 15. The record was blocked from the top spot on the Billboard 200 by overnight phenomenon Susan Boyle but had a strong hold on No. 2 with better than projected sales of 417,000 copies.

The No. 2 debut broke Keys’ long-running streak of chart-topping records. The songstress’ four previous records, including a live “unplugged” effort, snagged the top spot. Her 2007 effort “As I Am” entered the No. 1 position over Thanksgiving week with sales of 742,000.

Alicia Keys itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)