Earth, Wind & Fire maps summer tour

Earth, Wind & Fire has embarked on a headlining run that will keep the veteran R&B group busy on the road through the summer months and beyond.

The Grammy-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Famers kicked off the outing last month and will hit more than 30 cities on the tour, which yresumes next month in Las Vegas. The trek is currently set to run through a Sept. 28 appearance in Huntsville, AL. Details are below.

Earth, Wind & Fire continues to support its 2005 set, "Illumination," which marked the band's 35th year and its 23rd career album. The record was inspired by singer Philip Bailey's idea to have the veteran musicians collaborate with the new generation of soul artists, according to EWF's website.

"The idea of illumination is vibrant and positive," Bailey said in a press release at the time of the album's release. "Earth, Wind & Fire collaborating with the new 'soul movement' made sense because the thrust of their music is still about playing instruments and utilizing vintage sounds, only in today's setting."

The disc, which scored the highest debut of the band's history, features songs produced by Raphael Saadiq, Black Eyed Peas leader Will.I.Am, Organized Noise, Brian McKnight and the team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Guest performers include Saadiq, Will.I.Am, McKnight, Big Boi of OutKast, Kenny G, Floetry and Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child.

Earth Wind & Fire--anchored by founding members Bailey, Maurice White (who no longer tours with the band), Verdine White and Ralph Johnson--has sold more than 30 million albums in the US and earned eight Grammys. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.