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Tom Petty's tour sprouts another leg
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, who earlier this week wrapped up the first leg of their summer US tour, have added a new string of fall dates to their schedule that will feature rotating support from The Strokes , Frank Black and John Mayer .
The new batch of shows gets underway with a mid-September, two-night stand in Chicago, and stops so far are confirmed in seven cities through early October, including a Sept. 17 performance at the annual Austin City Limits Festival in Texas. The Strokes are slated to open four of the shows, while Black and Mayer are currently tagged for one show each.
Tickets for the new headlining shows go on sale this month. Details are included in the itinerary below.
Before tackling the September and October shows, Petty and company will mount the tour's second leg, which kicks off at the end of this month and runs through mid-August. As previously reported, that stretch of shows will feature The Allman Brothers Band and Trey Anastasio taking turns in the opening slot.
Both of the upcoming legs will also feature singer Stevie Nicks , who joined Petty on the first eight dates of the tour's first leg. She'll hit the stage with Petty and The Heartbreakers during their set to perform "a handful of songs," according to a press release, including her and Petty's No. 1 hit single, "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," which appeared on Nicks' 1981 solo debut, "Bella Donna."
The second leg kicks off just a few days after the July 25 release of Petty's new album, "Highway Companion," which is his third solo collection and 18th overall career disc. Jeff Lynne is produced the set, with Petty and Heartbreaker Mike Campbell assisting.
The new album's first single, "Saving Grace," is streaming at Petty's website, and is also now available for purchase as a digital download, as is the new track "Big Weekend."
Petty recently told Rolling Stone that his current tour may be his last.
"I think we should do this tour and then put an end to doing national tours, and just play now and then where we want to play," Petty is quoted as saying. "The idea of doing sheds or arenas ... you turn into an animal by the time it's done."
