It's official: Seminal songwriter Joni Mitchell will share the stage with

recent Grammy-winner Bob Dylan on a May mini-tour of the West Coast.

The seven-date outing was confirmed Wednesday by Mitchell's manager, Sam Feldman of Sam L. Feldman and Associates. The tour will be Mitchell's first since the early 1980s and will precede the summer release of her 18th album, tentatively titled Taming the Tiger.

"It's great to have her back in front of people," said Bill Bentley, a

spokesman with Reprise Records, the label for which Mitchell records. "We

are very, very excited."

Mitchell -- a pioneering artist whose most influential work includes

the 1971 album Blue and whose impact is still being felt through

events such as last year's all-women Lilith Fair tour -- signed on to the

tour after rock 'n' roll veteran Van Morrison unexpectedly pulled out from

the dates on Monday. While representatives from Morrison's label Polygram

said Wednesday that the Northern Ireland-born singer's participation was never confirmed, a promoter at one of the venues on the tour claimed that Morrison was definitely

slated for the bill.

Polygram offered no reason for the singer's absence from the tour, which

would have followed a string of successful East Coast performances by Dylan

and Morrison earlier this year.

There are thus far no formal plans for Dylan and Mitchell to perform

together on the tour, but duets are certainly a possibility, according to

Bentley. "We can only hope," he said.

Taming the Tiger is slated for a mid-summer release, Bentley said.

In addition to the dates with Dylan, Mitchell is also scheduled to

film a television special in May that will include interview and concert footage.

The program's airing will coincide with the album's release, although which

network will broadcast the special is still undetermined.

Bob Dylan/Joni Mitchell Tour Dates:

May 14; Vancouver, B.C., General Motors Palace

May 16; George, Wash., The Gorge Amphitheater

May 18; San Jose, Calif., San Jose Arena

May 19; Oakland, Calif., Oakland Coliseum

May 21; Los Angeles, Calif., UCLA's Pauley Pavilion

May 22; Los Angeles, Calif., UCLA's Pauley Pavilion

May 23 or 24; Anaheim, Calif., Anaheim Arena/Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim