Country/bluegrass singer Patty Loveless [ tickets ] has mapped the first leg of a US outing in support of her forthcoming album, "Mountain Soul II."

The trek--which got underway last Thursday (9/17) in St. Louis, followed by three more shows over the weekend--takes a three-week break before picking back up with an Oct. 10 performance in Wichita, KS. The current itinerary includes just five concerts through a Nov. 1 gig in Alexandria, VA; more dates will be announced soon, according to a press release.

"Mountain Soul II," Loveless' 16th studio set, will be available next week (9/29). The new album, which follows 2001's "Mountain Soul," marks the singer's second release on the Saguaro Road label. The first--"Sleepless Nights"--hit shelves last September and peaked at No. 13 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart.

"Busted," the first single from "Mountain Soul II," is currently streaming at the performer's MySpace page.

Last year, Loveless received two Grammy nominations: one for Best Country Album for "Sleepless Nights" and another for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for her duet with George Strait, "House of Cash."