Lyle Lovett Tour To Roar Through More Than 30 Cities

Lyle Lovett, who played a tour that focused on the southeastern United States in early 2000, has launched a two-month jaunt that covers much of the remainder of the country.

Lovett's itinerary for the balance of the summer is dominated by appearances at small outdoor venues and performance halls. The alt-country singer-songwriter will visit more than 30 cities on the tour.

Lovett picked up a Grammy nomination earlier this year in the Best Male Country Vocal Performance category for "That's Right (You're Not From Texas)," a track from his 1999 release "Live in Texas," recorded with Lovett's Large Band during three 1995 tour stops in his home state.

Though he is known primarily for his songwriting, Lovett hasn't released an album of original material since 1996's "The Road To Ensenada." In 1998, Lovett released "Step Inside This House," a two-CD set featuring covers of songs by Texas songwriters who have inspired him.

Lovett contributed his cover of the Ray Charles classic "What'd I Say" to the soundtrack to "Where the Heart Is," which was released in April.