Chris Young Announces Famous Friends Tour With Mitchell Tenpenny

Chris Young has shared his fall tour plans. Just days before he delivers his new Famous Friends album, the singer has announced the Famous Friends Tour.

Mitchell Tenpenny and Callista Clark will open 12 of the 13 announced shows, with Matt Stell joining them for a stop in Texas on Oct. 23. Payton Smith will open the tour's final stop, in Connecticut on Dec. 5.

The Famous Friends Tour focuses on American amphitheaters and arenas that are far inland from the East and West Coasts. Shows in Texas dominate (there's four of them), but stops in South Dakota, Iowa, Arkansas and Wisconsin help round out a slate of dates that doesn't stray far from the Mississippi River. The full list of stops is below.

The song "Famous Friends" is Young's latest No. 1, a duet with Kane Brown. The Famous Friends album also features a collaboration with Lauren Alaina called "Town Ain't Big Enough," and another with Tenpenny called "At the End of the Bar."

In July, Young performed a free concert for friends in Nashville, a portion of which was recorded for the music video for "At the End of the Bar." That video will be revealed on Friday (Aug. 6), the same day Famous Friends arrives in full.

Chris Young’s Famous Friends Tour Dates:

Oct. 21 — Little Rock, Ark. @ First Security Amphitheater
Oct. 22 — New Braunfels, Texas @ Whitewater Amphitheater
Oct. 23 — Grand Prairie, Texas @ Texas Trust CU Theatre at Grand Prairie *
Nov. 4 — Rapid City, S.D. @ Summit Arena at the Monument
Nov. 5 — Rochester, Minn. @ Mayo Civic Center Arena
Nov. 6 — Bemidji, Minn. @ Sanford Center
Nov. 11 — Sugar Land, Texas @ Smart Financial Centre
Nov. 12 — Baton Rouge, La. @ Raising Cane’s River Center
Nov. 13 — Corpus Christi, Texas @ Concrete Street Amphitheater
Nov. 18 — Green Bay, Wisc. @ Resch Center
Nov. 19 — Coralville, Iowa @ Xtream Arena
Nov. 20 — Dekalb, Ill. @ Northern University University
Dec. 5 — Uncasville, Conn. @ Mohegan Sun Arena ^

* Matt Stell will also perform
^ Payton Smith will open

5 Hottest Country Tours of Summer 2021

There’s a lot to consider when making a list of the hottest tours of summer 2021, including star power, opening acts, venues and set lists. Add to that concerns and cautions as the country begins to emerge from a pandemic and that no one has seen live music in 14 months. It’s quite likely you’re craving live music like a drug that’s just out of reach ... or you’re scared shirtless to surround yourself with 10,000 fans indoors.

All the emotions about reengaging with the live country music community are valid. While at first it seemed September would be start-up month, several tours on this Hot List begin in July and August at outdoor venues across America. The No. 3 tour and No. 1 tour on our list are mostly indoors, but both are banking on increased safety that comes from a majority of the population having the COVID-19 vaccine.

Once those lights go down, all of these worries will be carried away by the buzz in the air (and maybe, from your cup). Find five total professionals on this list of Hot Summer Tours, each bringing a total stage show, plus several in-demand opening acts with a proven track record of live entertainment at the highest level. There’s no fat on any of these country tours — if you stick to the tailgate through an opener’s set, you’ll truly be missing something special.

As always, let us know who you can’t wait to see on tour in 2021 via Twitter or email.