Wilco and Vic Chesnutt, two of the most critically lauded artists on the folk rock circuit today, have agreed to team up for a joint East Coast tour, although organizers are still fleshing out the proposed three-week itinerary.

Wilco is currently overseas making the concert rounds in Europe, but will return to the states on April 14 to kick-off a North American outing in support of its just-released album, "Summer Teeth." Last year the group drew raves for its collaborative effort with Billy Bragg on "Mermaid Avenue," a collection of old Woody Guthrie lyrics set to new music.

According to a representative for the group, Wilco decided to tap Chesnutt after falling for the singer-songwriter's most recent album, "The Salesman and Bernadette," his first under a new deal with Capricorn Records. "Everybody in the band adores him," Tweedy told MTV News Online, "we feel privileged to get to hear him play every night."

Early dates for the Wilco-Vic Chesnutt outing:

• 4/14 - Madison, WI @ Barrymore Theater
• 4/15 - Champaign, IL @ Canopy Theater
• 4/16 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Calvin College
• 4/17 - Toronto, ON @ The Guvernment
• 4/19 - Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street
• 4/20 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
• 4/21 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
• 4/23 - Boston, MA @ Avalon Ballroom
• 4/30 - Charleston, SC @ Music Farm

• Vic Chesnutt
• Wilco

A little over a month after parting ways with Capitol Records, southern folkster Vic Chesnutt has reached an agreement with Atlanta-based Capricorn Records to release his next album, "The Salesman and Bernadette," possibly as early as October.

• Vic Chesnutt

August 5 [14:00 EDT] -- Schoolly D, Vic Chesnutt, Giant Sand, the Grifters, and the Mekons are among the artists who give some childhood classics very modern makeovers on "Rudy's Rockin' Kiddie Caravan."

Schoolly D takes on "This Old Man," Chesnutt reworks "Home on the Range," and The Grifters weigh in with "The Muffin Man" on this twisted collection, which is a companion piece to TNT's equally off-kilter "Rudy and GoGo."

The non sequitur-laden adventures of Rudy the marionette and his goat pal GoGo make the goings on in Pee Wee's Playhouse seem relatively lucid. The duo are often joined by fellow marionette Jesse B [IMB QuickTime], as well as the Mekons' Jon Langford as the Old Salty SeaBiscuit, Bill Taft of Smoke as Unkle Carbunkle, and pop/country singer Sally Timms as Cowboy Sally.

If the mix sounds intriguing, you'll have to look harder than your local record store to find it. The album is available for only by mail order from Bloodshot Records, but with all proceeds from sales of the $12 CD going to the National Center for Family Literacy, it might be worth tracking down.

Bloodshot can be reached by mail at 912 W. Addison, Suite 1, Chicago, IL 60613, by phone at (773) 248-8709, or by e-mail at bludshot@mcs.com.

Here's what you can expect in the mail:

• "Bus" - Susie Honeyman
• "This Old Man" - Schoolly D
• "Old Joe Clark" - Smoke
• The Man on the Flying Trapeze" - Calexico
• "Them Bones" - The Waco Brothers
• "Blow The Man Down" - Giant Sand
• "What Can The Matter Be?" - Anne Richmond Boston
• J'Ai Passe Devant Ta Porte" - D.L. Menard & The Louisiana Aces
• "The ABC Song" - Zydeco Elvis
• "Hush Little Baby" - Sally Timms
• "Nokas For The Kinder" - New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars
• "Playmate" - The Chiselers
• "She'll Be Coming 'Round The Mountain" - The Rock*A*Teens
• "Skip To My Lou" - Moonshine Willy
• "The Great Titanic" - Kelly Hogan
• "A Frozen Road" - The Black Mama Dharma Band
• "Oranges & Lemons" - Mekons
• "John Henry" - New Kingdom
• "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" - Rob Gal
• "Froggie Went A-Courtin'" - Blacktop Rockets
• "Home on the Range" - Vic Chesnutt
• "The Muffin Man" - The Grifters

Of course, the television show is a bit easier to find. "Rudy and GoGo" turn up on TNT each Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. Eastern time.

• Vic Chesnutt
• The Mekons
• Schoolly D

March 31 [7:55 EST] -- Singer/songwriter Vic Chesnutt has abruptly canceled the second leg of his U.S. tour citing exhaustion.

A statement released by Capitol Records, Chesnutt's label, pointed to Chesnutt's rigorous recent tour schedule in explaining the decision to call off the tour.

Chesnutt has been working overtime with an ambitious U.S. and European itinerary over the last two years, and toured Europe twice since the November release of his "About To Choke" album.

In announcing the cancellation, Capitol directed ticketholders to local concert promoters for refund information.

• Vic Chesnutt