Robert Plant Announces Tour With New Band Of Joy

Robert Plant is recruiting a notable group of musicians for a 12-city tour to preview music from his upcoming, and presently unnamed, new album from Rounder Records, set for release later this year.

Hitting the road under the name Robert Plant and the Band of Joy, the musicians accompanying Plant on the album and tour include vocalist Patty Griffin, multi-instrumentalist Darrell Scott, bassist Byron House and drummer Marco Giovino. The band also includes guitarist Buddy Miller, who co-produced the forthcoming album.

The tour begins July 13 in Memphis, Tenn. Check below for a full tour schedule!

Said Plant of the project in a recent press statement:

“It’s been a blast working on these new songs…and I’m enjoying such creativity and vitality. It’s been a remarkable change of direction for all of us and as a group we all seem to have developed a new groove.”

The Band of Joy album will be Plant’s first since Raising Sand, his 2006 Grammy-winning collaboration with Alison Krauss. Though Plant and Krauss aren’t expecting a new album or tour in 2010, Plant did comment on any future Krauss collaborations by saying, “Oh yes, Alison and I get together quite often… and sometimes we dance.”

Here’s cool tidbit: the original Band Of Joy was a pre-Led Zeppelin group that consisted of Plant, John Bonham, John Hill and Mick Strode.

Robert Plant and the Band of Joy tour dates:

July

• 13 – Memphis, Tenn. @ The Orpheum Theater
• 15 – Little Rock, Ark. @ Robinson Center Music Hall
• 16 – Tulsa, Okla. @ Brady Theater
• 18 – Albuquerque, N.M. @ Sandia Casion Amphitheater
• 20 – Phoenix, Ariz. @ Dodge Theater
• 21 – Tuscon, Ariz. @ Anselmo Valencia Amphitheater
• 23 – Dallas, Texas @ Meyerson Symphony Hall
• 24 – Houston, Texas @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion
• 26 – Austin, Texas @ Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater
• 28 – Mobile, Ala. @ The Saenger Theatre
• 30 – Clearwater, Fla. @ Ruth Eckerd Hall
• 31 – Miami, Fla. @ Bayfront Park Amphitheater