By Alfred Branch, Jr.

Looking to capitalize on their hit “Because of You” from the “Reba Duets” album, Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson are teaming up for a 15-date tour in early 2008 called 2 Worlds 2 Voices.

Slated to kickoff Jan. 17 in Dayton, OH, the month-long tour will wind its way through several Southern and Midwestern states and end Feb. 16 in Kansas City, MO.

McEntire, who has branched out into television over the past several years in addition to maintaining a robust recording career, has remained one of the more consistently popular artists in Country music. And while Clarkson’s star has continued to rise since her victory in the inaugural American Idol, 2007 has been a rocky year for the singer/songwriter. She feuded with, and then made up with, powerful record executive Clive Davis, and was forced to cancel a planned summer tour due to slow ticket sales.

The fallout from the negative press surrounding the canceled tour and the Davis debacle resulted in Clarkson splitting with former manager Jeff Kwatinetz and signing with McEntire’s husband, Narvel Blackstock, and his company Starstruck Entertainment.

Her most-recent album, “My December,” received generally favorable reviews but did not yield the same number of hits, nor overall sales, of her previous album “Breakaway.” Clarkson was able to rebound, however, and launch a fall headlining tour, and she performed during the National Football League season kick-off telecast from Indianapolis, IN two months ago. Her fall tour is slated to wrap up Dec. 3 in Nashville.

McEntire/Clarkson intinerary:

January 2008
17 - Dayton, OH - Ervin J. Nutter Center
18 - Louisville, KY - Freedom Hall
19 - Morgantown, WV - West Virginia University
24 - Norfolk, VA - Norfolk Scope Arena
25 - Winston-Salem, NC - Lawrence Joel Complex
26 - Fayetteville, NC - Crown Center
31 - Valley Center, KS - Kansas Coliseum

February 2008
1 - Tulsa, OK - Mabee Center
2 - Bossier City, LA - CenturyTel
7 - Saint Charles, MO - Family Arena
8 - Indianapolis, IN - Conseco Fieldhouse
9 - Rockford, IL - Metro Center
14 - Tupelo, MS - Bancorpsouth Arena
15 - Jonesboro, AR - ASU Convocation Center
16 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center

(The image accompanying this story is from KellyClarksonFan.net)