Billy Bob Thornton's new hillbilly-rock group, The Boxmasters [ tickets ], recently set out on a coast-to-coast US trek to back its self-titled debut album.

The band launched its eight-week tour in California earlier this month and is currently in the midst of a string of Texas dates. Club and theater shows booked through early September are detailed below. The Boxmasters will also stop for a host of record store appearances along the way.

While Oscar-winning actor Thornton was recording his fourth solo album, 2007's "Beautiful Door," he started The Boxmasters with Grammy-winning engineer/guitarist J.D. Andrew. Thornton describes the band's sound as "Electric Hillbilly music," influenced by The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Animals, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and Buck Owens.

The Boxmasters features Thornton on vocals, drums and tambourine; Andrew on rhythm guitar, bass and background vocals; Mike Butler on lead guitar and lap steel; and Marty Rifkin on steel guitar. The touring outfit also includes guitarist Brad Davis, organ/harmonica player Teddy Andreadis and drummer Mike Bruce.

The group released its double-disc debut album last month and lead single "The Poor House" reached the Top 5 on Americana charts, according to a press release. Along with original material, the set includes renditions of classics like Ernest Tubb's "She's Looking Better by the Minute" and The Who's "The Kid's are Alright." Several songs from the collection are streaming at The Boxmasters' MySpace page.

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