George Michael arrives at Brent magistrates court in London, in this June 8, 2007, file photo. Michael is gearing up for his first North American tour in 17 years. The pop star will open his multi-city '25 Live' tour in San Diego on June 17, and wrap it up in Sunrise, Fla., on Aug. 3, Michael announced Monday, March 24, 2008.(File Photo)
George Michael is giving North America one more try as the British pop singer unveiled plans for his first tour of the United States and Canada in 17 years.
The multi-city "25 Live" tour is to open in San Diego on June 17, and scheduled to wrap in Sunrise, Fla., on Aug. 3, Michael announced Monday.
Other stops include Atlanta, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, New York, Boston, Toronto and Montreal.
Tickets for the tour go on sale to the general public on April 6, a week after fan club members get first dibs. Ticketmaster currently lists one show, the July 7 gig at Saint Paul, MN., where the top price is 175 U.S. dollars.
While his international appeal remains strong, Michael's profile in the United States has waned over the past decade, although his last album, 2004's "Patience," managed to peak at No. 12 thanks to an appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."
Michael, 44, rose to fame in the early 1980s as one-half of the singing duo Wham! and enhanced his popularity with his solo debut, 1987's "Faith," which has been certified for U.S. shipments in excess of 10 million copies. It included the hit singles "Father Figure," "I Want Your Sex Parts 1 & 2" and the title track.
The multi-city "25 Live" tour is to open in San Diego on June 17, and scheduled to wrap in Sunrise, Fla., on Aug. 3, Michael announced Monday.(File Photo)
Subsequent efforts did not sell nearly as well, and Michael's career grounded to a halt in the early 1990s when he unsuccessfully sued Sony to get out of his contract. In 1998, he was arrested for lewd conduct in Beverly Hills, and subsequently disclosed his homosexuality.
The European leg of his "25 Live" tour took him to 12 countries where he performed 80 shows for some 1.3 million fans, according to a statement.
The North American tour will promote a double-disc hits set, the second of his career. "Twenty-Five" is scheduled for U.S. release on April 1, a decade after Michael issued the retrospective "Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael."
(Xinhua/Agencies March 25, 2008)