Mark Knopfler to tackle extensive North American itinerary

Mark Knopfler, best known as Dire Straits' frontman and guitarist, has lined up more than a month of North American dates to support his fourth solo album, "Shangri La."

The outing launches June 24 in Virginia, and is set to touch down at theaters and amphitheaters in about 30 cities. The itinerary is below.

Knopfler's touring band, according to his official website, will feature bassist Glenn Worf, drummer Chad Cromwell, guitarist Richard Bennett, multi-instrumentalist Guy Fletcher and keyboardist Matt Rollings.

"Shangri-La"--named for the Malibu, CA studio in which it was recorded--hit stores last September.

"People like Bob Dylan, Neil Young and The Band used to hang out there," Knopfler said in a statement. "The owner has done a lot to preserve the place and invited me to record there. Old California seemed to go with a pile of the stuff I was doing and some of it rubbed off on the recordings."

The 14-track set is Knopfler's follow-up to 2002's "The Ragpicker's Dream."