Tim McGraw follows tour with 'Swampstock'

Tim McGraw, who's getting ready to launch an extensive US tour, will return home to Rayville, LA, this summer to host "Swampstock 2008."

The Sept. 13 event will benefit the Neighbor's Keeper Foundation, which was founded by the country star and his wife, Faith Hill. McGraw launched "Swampstock" in 1994 as a way to give back to his hometown community. Further details about this year's shindig will be available at a later date.

McGraw is getting ready to head out on his "Live Your Voice Tour," which will visit US cities from coast to coast into July. The outing officially kicks off May 9 in Tampa, FL, though McGraw will warm up with performances at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Indio, CA's Stagecoach Country Music Festival. Details are listed below.

Special guests Jason Aldean and Halfway to Hazard will open the tour, and McGraw has handpicked new artists to showcase on the "StyleSonic Stage" before each show, according to a press release.

The Grammy-winning singer is supporting his latest platinum album, "Let It Go," which surfaced last May and became his ninth consecutive record to debut at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart. The set has spawned crossover hits including "Last Dollar (Fly Away)," "I Need You" (with Hill), "Suspicions" and "If You're Reading This."

Speaking of crossing over, McGraw just became the first country artist to land the No. 1 slot on Billboard's classic rock chart with "Nine Lives," a song he co-wrote and performs with Def Leppard on the rockers' new album, "Songs from the Sparkle Lounge," according to a press release. The tune has also been chosen for the opening segment of NBA games this season.

McGraw is no stranger to straddling genres. He became the first country artist to chart on Billboard's hip-hop/rap singles chart when he collaborated with Nelly on the 2005 hit "Over and Over."

The superstar is also crossing over into another medium: he and singer/songwriter Tom Douglas will release their first children's book, "My Little Girl," in October. The book, inspired by the hit song of the same name, will include a foreword written by Hill.

Meanwhile, McGraw has set an April 29 release date for a limited-edition combo pack of his two best-of albums: 2000's "Greatest Hits" and 2006's "Tim McGraw Reflected: Hits Vol. 2." The set, priced at $11.88, will be available only at Wal-Mart.