Folk singer Joan Baez [ tickets ], still going strong in her fifth decade as a recording artist, has plotted a busy US tour schedule for October and November.

The outing is set to launch Oct. 17 in Southern California, and is currently scheduled to visit about 20 cities.

Baez has been on the road regularly since the 2003 release of "Dark Chords on a Big Guitar," which marked her first album of new material in six years. However, the fall dates mark her first US tour of 2006.

The latest release from Baez is the 2005 live set, "Bowery Songs," which was recorded during her Nov. 6, 2004 performance at New York City's Bowery Ballroom. The album includes many of the singer's well-known songs, as well as four songs she hadn't recorded before: "Seven Curses" (by Bob Dylan), "Jerusalem" (by Steve Earle), "Finlandia" and "Dink's Song."

Baez was backed on "Bowery Songs" by her recent touring band, drummer George Javori, guitarist Duke McVinnie, guitarist Erik Della Penna and bassist Graham Maby.

[Editors' note: This story was changed on 7/21/2006 to reflect Baez's correct number of decades in the recording business.]