Dr. John takes NOLA love letter on the road

New Orleans' favorite son Dr. John will take his rollicking voodoo-blues party across the US next year.

The iconic musician, who is currently touring Europe, will return stateside in December to finish out 2008 with a four-night stand in Washington, DC, and two shows in his hometown. On Jan. 31, he is set to launch a US trek that kicks off in Stateline, NV, and visits clubs and theaters from coast to coast through early March. Many of those dates pair Dr. John with the Neville Brothers. The stateside itinerary is listed below and overseas dates can be found at Dr. John's MySpace page.

The Grammy-winning artist continues to support his June release, "The City that Care Forgot," which is a poignant love letter to his drowned hometown following Hurricane Katrina. The album combines Dr. John's signature party vibe with pointed political lyrics about the government's reaction to Katrina. It features a host of guests, including Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson and Ani DiFranco.

Dr. John, considered by many to be the physical embodiment of the vibrant culture of New Orleans, has been one of the leading voices protesting the inept response to the hurricane, and has tirelessly performed benefit shows and set up relief funds, according to a press release.

The colorful singer/pianist, whose music career dates back to the '50s, is known for his unique blend of voodoo mysticism, funk, R&B, psychedelic rock and Creole roots. He has four Grammy Awards on his mantle and was nominated for another last year for his Hurricane Katrina benefit disc, "Sippiana Hericane."

Earlier this year, Dr. John signed a multi-album agreement with the Savoy Label Group's 429 Records imprint, which released "The City that Care Forgot."