Chris Isaak returns to extensive touring

Chris Isaak greatly curtailed his touring in recent years to focus time on his now-defunct Showtime cable-TV series, but music is returning to the fore for the singer/songwriter.

The California native is scheduled to open a major summer tour June 11 in Denver, and is so far set to visit about 30 cities this summer. He'll play a mix of small amphitheaters and casinos; details are in the itinerary below.

Isaak's latest release is last year's "Chris Isaak Christmas," which features 11 traditional songs (including "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," with Stevie Nicks) and five originals, including "Gotta Be Good," "Christmas on TV," "Washington Square" and "Hey Santa!"

He hasn't issued a new, non-seasonal studio album since 2002's "Always Got Tonight."

Nearly 50 original episodes of Isaak's Showtime series, "The Chris Isaak Show," aired from 2001 through 2004. The show was billed by the network as "part comedy and part reality," and starred Isaak and his real-life band members--Kenney Dale Johnson (drums), Hershel Yatovitz (guitar) and Rowland Salley (bass)--with an ensemble of fictional characters.