Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter John Prine [ tickets ] has started a US tour that will take him from the East to the Midwest through mid-April.

Prine's next gig is Feb. 9 in Fort Wayne, IN, and he has two-night stands in Lexington, KY, Feb. 16-17 and Austin, TX, March 2-3. So far, it looks like he'll wrap things up in April with four shows in Colorado.

Maura O'Connell, RB Morris and Minton Sparks take turns supporting on multiple dates. Shows are listed below.

Prine's latest release, 2005's "Fair and Square," earned him a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album. The set was the veteran musician's first album of new material since 1995's "Lost Dogs & Mixed Blessings" and marked his debut as a producer.

A new record, "Standard Songs for the Average People" on Prine's Oh Boy Records label, is due for release April 24, according to his official fan website. The album comprises classic-country cover tunes performed by Prine and Mac Wiseman.

The John Prine Shrine fan website also says a March 27 DVD release is in the works. "John Prine Live on Soundstage 1980" first aired on PBS in 1980, and includes an hour's worth of live performances and interviews.