Little Big Town's Karen Fairchild said the Grammy-nominated country quartet has had amazing opportunities as an opening act, and now it's time to give back.

"We've had the honor of opening for John Mellencamp, George Strait, Martina McBride, Sugarland, Keith Urban and more," she explained in a statement. "Because of our experiences, we wanted to find a way to give back to some bands that are just getting started in their careers. It's even more special because the fans get to choose. I can't wait to see who the fans select."

The contest winners will join up-and-coming country acts including Zac Brown Band, Ashton Shepherd, Jonathan Singleton & the Grove, and Kate & Kacey in handling opening duties on various dates.

Little Big Town's massive 2009 outing marks its first as a nationwide headliner. The inaugural "A Place to Land Tour" is scheduled to kick off tomorrow (1/24) in Jacksonville, FL, and visit clubs, theaters, casinos, fairs and festivals all over the US into October. Since last check, there's been a few tweaks to the schedule, including dates added in Pembroke Pines, FL, and Wisconsin Dells, WI. An updated itinerary is included below.

LBT is supporting its third album, "A Place to Land," which surfaced in 2007 on the Equity Music Group indie label and was rereleased last October on Capitol Nashville. The new version features four additional cuts, including "Life In A Northern Town," a collaboration with Sugarland and Jake Owen that is up for a Grammy Award.

"A Place to Land" has spawned the Top 40 country hits "Fine Line" and "I'm With the Band," as well as the album's latest single, "Good Lord Willing," all of which are streaming at Little Big Town's MySpace page.