R. Kelly to Bring His "Love Letter" Tour to the U.S.

CHICAGO, April 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Three time GRAMMY winning King of R&B, R. Kelly will bring his "Love Letter" tour to the United States beginning June 2, 2011. This electrifying performer will tour in support of Love Letter (Jive Records) his R.I.A.A. gold-certified eleventh studio album. Love Letter has produced two hit singles, "When A Woman Loves" and the title track which held the # 1 position on the Urban AC chart for four consecutive weeks. Kelly is one of the biggest-selling R&B artists in the world selling over 34 million albums, releasing 12 No. 1 singles and eight No. 1 albums. His new CD incorporates classic soul music influences and features chivalrous lyrics concerning love and forgiveness. Kelly, who wrote, produced and arranged Love Letter, pays homage to soul artists such as Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Donny Hathaway, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder.

Love Letter received praise from critics and made the New York Times Pop Top 10 Albums of 2010 list, while its single "When A Woman Loves" made Associated Press' Best Singles of the Year List.

"Kelly is singing as vigorously as ever, on songs that are some of the most elegant of his career...the songs are in essence, secular spirituals, bombastic and warm."

The New York Times

"The first single, the epic 'When A Woman Loves,' is a tour de force that not only puts Kelly's wondrous songwriting on display, but also showcases a voice that has little competition when it comes to pure power and passion."

Associated Press

"A refreshingly tasteful foray into classic soul and PG lovemaking."

Entertainment Weekly

"Slow-simmered, grown-man emoting...and Kelly's melodicism and vocal powers."

Los Angeles Times

"The R&B lothario reminds listeners that he's still got it..."

Rap-Up Magazine

Joining Kelly on the "Love Letter" tour are four-time GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum selling singer/songwriter and the star of a top-rated BET reality show, Keyshia Cole and six-time GRAMMY nominated singer/songwriter/producer Marsha Ambrosius who achieved success as the "Songstress" in the now defunct duo Floetry. Ambrosius released her solo debut album Late Nights & Early Mornings, which entered at #1 on Billboard's R&B Albums chart and #2 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart.

For more information, please go to www.r-kelly.com

    Date            City                       Venue
    ----            ----                       -----
    June 2          Southaven, MS              DeSoto Civic Center
    June 3          New Orleans, LA            UNO Lakefront Arena
    June 4          Mobile, AL                 Civic Center
    June 5          Houston, TX                Toyota Centre
    June 10         Oakland, CA                Coliseum
    June 11         Los Angeles, CA            Nokia Theater L. A. Live
    June 16         Chicago, IL                Allstate Arena
    June 17         St. Louis, MO              Chaifetz Arena
    June 18         Kansas City, MO            Sprint Center
    June 19         Dallas, TX                 Verizon Theater
    June 24         Raleigh, NC                RBC Center
    June 25         Atlanta, GA                Philips Arena
    June 26         Birmingham, AL              BJCC
    June 29         Cleveland, OH              CSU Wolstein Center
    June 30         Newark, NJ                 Prudential Center
    July 1          Baltimore, MD              1st Mariner Arena
    July 2          Washington, DC             Verizon Center
    July 3          Philadelphia, PA           Mann Music Center

SOURCE Jive Records

SOURCE: Jive Records

CONTACT: Rogers & Cowan, Maureen O'Connor, +1-310-854-8116, moconnor@rogersandcowan.com or Heather Lewandoski, +1-310-854-8147, hlewandoski@rogersandcowan.com; or JIVE Label Group, Tice Merriweather, +1-212-833-6479, Ticeman.Merriweather@sonymusic.com

Web Site: http://www.r-kelly.com