Country singer Dierks Bentley [ tickets ] is gearing up for the mid-October release of his third album, and will already have launched a fall outing dubbed the "Locked & Loaded" tour by the time the new disc hits the shelves.

Bentley officially launches the "Locked & Loaded" tour Oct. 4 in Alabama, and dates for the run--which are shown below--are stacked up through early December. Each tour stop will feature a combined total of more than three hours of music from Bentley, CMA Horizon Award nominee Miranda Lambert [ tickets ], and newcomers The Randy Rogers Band, according to organizers.

Also shown below is Bentley's pre-"Locked & Loaded" tour itinerary, which features a number of September festival and fair performances mixed in with some headlining dates, as well as an Oct. 1 show in Texas.

The "Locked & Loaded" outing, which is booked into small arenas, will feature general-admission tickets for the floor seats in an effort to "recreate the intimate feeling of the smaller club shows [Bentley] has played over the last four years," according to a press release.

"I've really shaped my career around my live show because that's where it started for me ... playing for nothing but tip jars and alcohol," Bentley said in a statement. "If we do it right, the fans won't even notice we are in a bigger venue this time around."

The "Locked & Loaded" run is sponsored by Bud Light, making Bentley only the third country artist ever whose tour the beer has backed; George Strait and Tim McGraw are the other two.

"I think they are just trying to help me recoup all the money I've spent on beer in my life, " Bentley said. "It really is pretty cool to be aligned with such a well known brand, and one that has been involved in the careers of a couple of guys I look up to, Strait and McGraw."

Bentley's setlist during the upcoming run will feature music from his forthcoming album, "Long Trip Alone." Due in stores Oct. 17, the set features the single "Every Mile a Memory."

"Long Trip Alone" follows last year's "Modern Day Drifter." Over the past year, Bentley has logged more than 180,000 miles and more than 300 days on the road in support of that set, according to a press release.

Last week, Bentley was nominated for a CMA Award in the Male Vocalist of the Year category. The winner will be named during the Nov. 6 awards ceremony at Nashville's Gaylord Entertainment Center.

In addition to her CMA Horizon Award nod, Lambert is also in contention for Music Video of the Year for the title track from her gold-certified, debut album, "Kerosene."

The Randy Rogers Band issues its latest album, "Just a Matter of Time," on Sept. 12.