Heart brings new material to North America

Iconic rockers Heart will spend some time this spring and summer on a North American tour in anticipation of a long-awaited new studio set.

The duo--made up of sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson--will take their backing band on the road beginning with a trio of early March concerts in British Columbia. The run moves into the eastern portion of the US for an April 15 performance in Chattanooga, TN, followed by a handful of casino shows. The current itinerary concludes with an Aug. 5 gig at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus. Details are below.

"Jupiter's Darling," Heart's most recent studio effort, surfaced in 2004 and marked the pair's first new material since 1995.

According to the outfit's website, the duo is prepping their 14th studio effort for a 2010 release, though no confirmed date has been announced. Grammy-winning producer Ben Mink (Barenaked Ladies) helmed the project, some songs from which will be performed during the forthcoming run.

The Wilson sisters both contributed to the recently reworked "We Are the World," the proceeds for which will go to the We Are The World foundation, a newly created, not-for-profit organization founded by Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie.

Last year, the sibling musicians were given the ASCAP Founders Award at the organization's 26th Annual Pop Music Awards.