Reclusive singer/songwriter Tom Waits [ tickets ] will travel an unusual path later this summer, when he hits the road for a series of shows mainly in the South.

The eight-city tour kicks off Aug. 1 in Atlanta, one of four cities on the outing (along with Memphis, Nashville and Louisville) where Waits hasn't performed since the mid-'70s. The only stop on the tour that Waits has played somewhat recently is Chicago, where he performed three sold-out shows in 1999 to support his "Mule Variations" album.

"We need to go to Tennessee to pick up some fireworks, and someone owes me money in Kentucky," Waits said in a press release, explaining the unorthodox touring.

Waits last toured in 2004, when the two-time Grammy winner supported his most recent album, "Real Gone."

His most recent live date in London, in 2004, sold out in 30 minutes, according to a press release, with over 150,000 ticket requests received within the first hour.