Tim McGraw rides Megaticket series through summer

Between festival appearances and a country music concert series, Tim McGraw will be making his way across the US this summer.

He'll start tomorrow (1/30) with a benefit concert in Nashville, followed by annual events including RodeoHouston, New Orleans Jazz Fest and Indio, CA's Stagecoach Festival into May. After that, McGraw's schedule will be filled with shows on the Live Nation Country Megaticket subscription series, which offers fans a chance to reserve the same seat for several country music performances at venues across the country. In addition to McGraw, acts featured in the series include Toby Keith, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts and Kenny Chesney.

Jason Aldean and Halfway to Hazard will support McGraw on his Megaticket performances, which currently run through early July. More dates may be on the way, as Live Nation said it expects to add cities on a daily basis. Details about the series are available at the promoter's website, and McGraw's full itinerary is listed below.

The country star may still be coming down from last-year's record-breaking "Soul2Soul Tour" with his wife, Faith Hill. The outing, said to be the biggest country music production ever undertaken, logged nearly 2 million fans, 92 cities and 117 performances during its two-year run, according to a press release. The 2006 edition of "Soul2Soul" was the highest-grossing country music tour in history and the 12th highest-grossing tour of all time, according to concert-industry publication Pollstar.

McGraw continues to support his 11th album, "Let It Go," which surfaced last May and became his ninth consecutive record to debut at the top of Billboard's Top Country Albums chart. The 14-track set has spawned crossover hits including "Last Dollar (Fly Away)," "I Need You" (with Hill), "Suspicions" and "If You're Reading This," the latter of which was not included on the original version of the album.

McGraw co-wrote "If You're Reading This" as a tribute to families of fallen soldiers and the song became a hit after he performed it at May's Academy of Country Music Awards. It is now up for Grammy honors in the Best Male Country Performance and Best Country Song categories. McGraw is also up for Best Country Album for "Let It Go" and Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for "I Need You."

As if his own music career isn't keeping him busy enough, McGraw co-wrote Def Leppard's new single, "Nine Lives." The country star is also furthering his acting career, having recently started work on the film "Four Christmases," which stars Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn.

[Note: The following tour dates have been provided by artist and/or tour sources, who verify its accuracy as of the publication time of this story. Changes may occur before tickets go on sale. Check with official artist websites, ticketing sources and venues for late updates.]
 tour dates and tickets
January 2008
30 - Nashville, TN - Schermerhorn Hall/Habitat for Humanity Benefit

February 2008
1 - Pelham, AL - Verizon Wireless Music Center*
2 - Scottsdale, AZ - Hotel Scottsdale/Super Jam

March 2008
3 - Houston, TX - Reliant Stadium/Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
7 - Austin, TX - Beyond the Lights Celebrity Golf Tournament

April 2008
27 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

May 2008
4 - Indio, CA - Empire Polo Field/Stagecoach Festival
9 - Tampa, FL - Ford Amphitheatre*
15 - Pelham, AL - Verizon Wireless Music Center-Birmingham*
16 - Charlotte, NC - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre*
17 - Raleigh, NC - Walnut Creek Amphitheatre*
23 - Noblesville, IN - Verizon Wireless Music Center*
24 - Tinley Park, IL - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre*
31 - Bristow, VA - Nissan Pavilion*

June 2008
11 - Atlanta, GA - Lakewood Amphitheatre*
13 - Virginia Beach, VA - Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater*
19 - Albuquerque, NM - Journal Pavilion*

July 2008
2 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center*
6 - Burgettstown, PA - Post-Gazette Pavilion*

*Country Megaticket subscription series

 tour dates and tickets
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