Emmylou Harris plans more road 'fun' in 2006

During one recent concert held in the San Francisco area, Emmylou Harris described recording as "work" and performing live as "fun." In that regard, the country singer should have a regular blast as she closes out 2005 and kicks off the new year with batches of live shows.

Harris will first perform a trio of shows on the East Coast, beginning Saturday (11/5) in Morgantown, WV, and then wind up her 2005 touring schedule with a one-off West Coast shot Dec. 12 in Los Angeles.

After taking a breather for most of the winter, the country/folk singer will saddle up again for a two-week-plus tour that kicks off March 3 in Newark, OH. She will then continue to ride through the Midwest, Northeast and Southwest, stopping for a St. Patrick's Day show March 17 in Raleigh, NC. The tour is currently scheduled to end March 18 in Savannah, GA.

The complete tour itinerary is listed below.

The silvery-voiced songbird is touring in support of the Rhino Records-issued anthology, "The Very Best of Emmylou Harris: Heartaches and Highways." Harris hasn't put out a new studio album since 2003's "Stumble Into Grace."

In other news, Harris appeared with Norah Jones, Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Bright Eyes, Los Lobos, Good Charlotte, Jerry Lee Lewis and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young Oct. 29-30 at Neil Young's 19th annual Bridge School Benefit at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA.

The 58-year-old, Alabama-born vocalist was joined on the Shoreline stage by longtime collaborator Linda Ronstadt. The duo's version of the song "High Sierra"—-which was featured on 1998's Harris/Ronstadt/Dolly Parton collaboration "Trio II"—-was considered by many to be a highlight of this fundraiser for the Bridge School, the San Francisco Bay Area-based school that serves students with severe speech and physical impairments.