Kenny Chesney’s Poets and Pirates tour is the leading country tour in the U.S. for the first six months of the year with Rascal Flatts the only other country artist in the top 10, according to Pollstar. Bon Jovi leads the pack with a $56.3 million gross with an average ticket price of $87.98. Chesney enjoyed a gross of $35.3 million with an average price of $75.28.

Rascal Flatts was eighth at $215.4 million on ticket prices of $64.57.

Also in the top 100 were:
11. Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood’s joint tour – $18.5 million (tickets averaged $55.89)
13. George Strait - $18 million ($64.06)
19. The Eagles – $15.8 million ($130.93)
27. Carrie Underwood – $12.3 million (($48.10)
36. Larry the Cable Guy – $9.5 million ($44.39)
37. Brad Paisley – $9.4 million ($41.21)
40. Rowdy Frynds with Lynyrd Skynyrd/Hank Williams Jr. -$8.5 million ($59.48)
49. Reba McEntire/Kelly Clarkson - $7.5 million ($53.78);
65. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – $5.4 million ($56.52)
76. Brooks & Dunn/Alan Jackson – $4.5 million ($92.77)
84. Blue Rodeo – $4.2 million ($43.93)
88. Martina McBride – $3.9 million ($51.88)
89. Garth Brooks – $3.8 million (39.29)
91. Trace Adkins – $3.8 million ($44.82)
96. Big & Rich - $3.2 million ($59.20)
99. Dolly Parton – $3 million ($70.38)Country Music Photo Gallery

It seems most country artists are focusing their tours on the warmer months this year. Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, Sugarland and Toby Keith are just some of the acts already on the road, but tours are also in the works for Tim McGraw and Alan Jackson. Brad Paisley recently completed a tour and will start another one in June. And the king of the summer tours — Kenny Chesney — is back on the road for a series of shows at amphitheaters and major stadiums.

Here’s a brief rundown of the tour plans of 10 of country music’s most popular acts:

Kenny Chesney

He’s been performing some informal shows at clubs near college campuses, but Chesney’s Poets & Pirates tour with LeAnn Rimes kicks off April 18-19 at the Mohegan Sun hotel and casino in Uncasville, Conn. Fourteen stadium dates are scheduled featuring five different talent lineups. Among those featured at selected stadiums are Keith Urban, Brooks & Dunn, Gary Allan, Luke Bryan, Big & Rich, Sammy Hagar and Rimes. All in all, Chesney is now set to do 37 shows from coast to coast before closing his tour on Sept. 13 at Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis with Urban, Rimes and Allan. More on Kenny Chesney’s 2008 concert tour…

Alan Jackson

Jackson returns to the road on April 11 to headline a stadium show in Tuscaloosa, Ala., as part of the Gridiron Bash at the University of Alabama. The bulk of his tour dates begin in Canada with an April 16 show in Calgary, Alberta. Three other Canadian dates follow before he begins the U.S. leg on May 1 in Laredo, Texas. His concert schedule now extends through July 25 in Kelseyville, Calif. More on Alan Jackson’s 2008 concert tour…

Toby Keith

Keith is busy this week in Texas with a Thursday night (March 13) appearance at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. He has another 20 concerts scheduled between now and a Sept. 19 show in Albuquerque, N.M. More on Toby Keith’s 2008 concert tour…

Tim McGraw

McGraw warms up for his summer roadwork with an April 27 performance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and a May 4 appearance at the Stagecoach Festival in Indio, Calif., before officially launching his tour on May 9 in Tampa, Fla. He has dates scheduled through July 6 in Pittsburgh. More on Tim McGraw’s 2008 concert tour…

Brad Paisley

Paisley announced at the recent Country Radio Seminar in Nashville that his 2008 tour will feature Jewel, Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough. With 42 shows currently booked, the tour begins June 11 in Albuquerque, N.M. Paisley’s schedule extends through an Oct. 18 appearance in San Antonio. More on Brad Paisley’s 2008 concert tour…

Rascal Flatts

With Taylor Swift opening the shows, Rascal Flatts return to the road with five Canadian dates beginning March 24 in Calgary, Alberta. Their U.S. dates resume April 4 in Portland, Ore., and continue through Aug. 30 in Burgettstown, Pa. More on Rascal Flatts 2008 concert tour…

Carrie Underwood

Her latest album is titled Carnival Ride, but her schedule is more of a juggling act as she co-headlines a tour with Keith Urban and headlines her own tour with opening act Josh Turner. Her shows with Turner resume Tuesday (March 18) in Bethlehem, Pa., and continue through a May 25 show in Nampa, Idaho. Her tour schedule also includes a July 19 appearance at the Country Jam Festival in Eau Claire, Wis., and an Aug. 8 show at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis. More on Carrie Underwood’s 2008 concert tour…

Keith Urban

Urban’s tour with Carrie Underwood continues this week in California with shows Wednesday (March 12) in Sacramento and Thursday (March 13) in Anaheim. In addition to that ongoing tour, Urban will be heading to Australia for six dates beginning with a March 20 appearance at the Blues & Roots Festival in Byron Bay. He has shows booked through his Sept. 13 stop at Chesney’s stadium show in Indianapolis. More on Keith Urban’s 2008 concert tour…

Sugarland

The duo of Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush will be performing several shows in Australia and New Zealand before returning to the U.S. for a homecoming at Atlanta’s Fox Theater on April 3-4. Their summer is filled with numerous performances at fairs and festivals in Iowa, Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Kansas, Colorado, California, Ohio, Wyoming and Oregon. Their schedule currently extends through an Aug. 3 appearance at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alberta. More on Sugarland’s 2008 concert tour…

Taylor Swift

The 18-year-old is continuing to work a heavy tour schedule, including an extensive tour with Rascal Flatts that resumes March 24 in Calgary, Alberta, and ends Aug. 30 near Pittsburgh. In between, she’ll also be performing at several major festivals, including the Stagecoach Festival in Indio, Calif., on May 3 and Summerfest in Milwaukee on June 30. More on Taylor Swift’s 2008 concert tour…Country Music Photo Gallery

Martina McBride is currently on tour promoting her newest album, “Wake Up Laughing“. So far this album has received outstanding reviews from both fans and critics alike, getting names “One of the top country discs of 2007″ by the Chicago Tribune. “McBride hasn’t run out of inspiration. This album has her aging gracefully into a more soulful singer/songwriter. With fewer feminist anthems, McBride has time to devote to the bright spots on this effort.”

Concert tickets for the Huntsville, Alabama concert go on sale this Saturday at 10AM Central. The fan club pre-sale is today starting at 10AM Central today (Wednesday). Fan club members should log into the fan club web site for the information needed. Otherwise, check the link to our right for ticket pricing and availability.

Martina McBride is also in the process of updating her online store to be completely in-house instead of using a outside company so stay tuned for new merchandise and memorabilia!

For Martina McBride 2008 concert tour dates, tickets, artist biographies and event details, please visit our partner site Country Music On Tour
Country Music Photo Gallery

After a great success on their last tour, Hank Williams Jr and Lynyrd Skynrd are making plans to hit the road together again for the 2008 Rowdy Frynds tour this spring. The tour will kick off in Hershey, PA and finish off in the birthplace of Lynyrd Skynrd in Jacksonville, FL.

“Our following of fans fits together perfectly,” says Skynyrd vocalist Johnny Van Zant, also a member with brother Donnie in the country duo Van Zant. “We can’t wait to get back out there and have some fun.”

“Last year was incredible,” Hank Jr. adds. “How could we not get together for another round?!”

2008 Rowdy Frynds Tour Dates:

April 4 Hershey, Pa. Giant Center
April 5 Cincinnati, Ohio US Bank Arena
April 11 Cleveland, Ohio Wolstein Center
April 12 Columbus, Ohio Nationwide Arena
April 18 Chicago, Ill. Sears Centre
April 19 Detroit, Mich. The Palace of Auburn Hills
April 25 Lafayette, La. Cajundome
April 26 Shreveport, La. CenturyTel Center
May 2 Atlanta, Ga. The Arena at Gwinnett Center
May 3 Biloxi, Miss. Mississippi Coast Coliseum
May 9 Greensboro, N.C. Coliseum Complex
May 10 Knoxville, Tenn. Thompson-Boling Arena
May 16 Charlottesville, Va. John Paul Jones Arena
May 17 Pittsburgh, Pa. Mellon Arena
May 30 Lexington, Kent. Rupp Arena
May 31 Charlotte, N.C. Bobcat Arena
June 6 Memphis, Tenn. Fed-Ex Forum
June 7 Enterprise, Ala. Bama Jam
June 13 Marion, S.C. Marion County Country Music Festival
June 14 Jacksonville, Fla. Veterans Memorial ColiseumCountry Music Photo Gallery