Shawn Colvin and Mary Chapin Carpenter kick off a series of tour dates in the UK and Ireland with a performance at the Sage Gateshead tonight, followed by shows in Dublin, Derby, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London, and Cambridge. These special shows feature the acclaimed songwriters (and longtime friends) performing as an intimate duo and will include material spanning their vast catalogs as well as some of their favorite songs. See below for the tour dates; for additional details and ticket links on these and other upcoming shows, go to nonesuch.com/on-tour.

Colvin released her eighth studio album, All Fall Down, on Nonesuch Records in June. Recorded in Nashville and produced by her longtime friend and occasional bandmate Buddy Miller (Robert Plant, Solomon Burke), it features a group of stellar musicians, including Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Bill Frisell, and Jakob Dylan, among others. The album coincides with the publication of her memoir, Diamond in the Rough (HarperCollins), which is a natural extension of the intimate, personal and often hilarious stories that she weaves into her live concerts. Colvin recently spoke with Acoustic Guitar about the new CD and book for a cover story you can read at acousticguitar.com. Both the CD and book are available now in the Nonesuch Store, where CD orders include an instant download of the album.

Mary Chapin Carpenter released her latest album, Ashes and Roses, in the UK on July 2 on Rounder/Decca. This is Carpenter’s twelfth studio album.

SHAWN COLVIN & MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER ON TOUR