George Strait [ tickets ] has expanded his tour plans for 2004, lining up a July jaunt through Western Canada and some festival appearances.

Among the new shows on Strait's schedule are arena dates in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton, as well as a concert at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo's RodeoHouston. He will also appear at two July festivals--Frontier Days in Cheyenne, WY, and Country Jam USA in Eau Claire, WI.

As previously reported, Strait will visit large arenas in February, and shows will sport a center-stage configuration that allows him to play to the whole audience. Opening acts in February will be Dierks Bentley ("What Was I Thinkin'") and Kellie Coffey ("When You Lie Next To Me"). Dierks will also join Strait on the Canadian jaunt.

Tickets for some of Strait's 2004 concerts are already on the market, and many other on-sales will roll out in the coming weeks, according to his publicist.

Strait--who has sold more than 57 million records over the course of his 20-plus-year recording career--released his latest studio album, titled "Honkytonkville," in June. The 2004 dates will mark his first outing since the album's release.

One of country music's best live draws, Strait released his first concert album in February. The 16-song CD, titled "For the Last Time--Live from the Astrodome," was recorded on the closing night of the 2002 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Strait performed for more than 68,000 fans that night, including former President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush.

Strait returned to the arena circuit in the fall of 2002, after heading up the George Strait Country Music Festival stadium tour for four years. Over its run, that event grossed about $100 million from ticket sales alone, according to Amusement Business.