Eli Young Band Announce Headlining Tour for 2012

After years of playing small clubs and bars across the country or sharing the stage with major acts, the Eli Young Band will venture out on their own headlining tour in 2012. Their Keep on Dreamin' Tour will have the spotlight shining bright after recently celebrating their first No. 1 hit when 'Crazy Girl' hit the top of the charts.

In addition to their own tour, the Eli Young Band will also spend some time in Australia opening for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, as well as playing various other dates on tours that have not yet been revealed.

"This year is going to be a big year of touring for us," the band's frontman, Mike Eli, tells Taste of Country. "We've been touring on our own for so long that now that we've had the success of 'Crazy Girl' and even with the last two years of success that we've had, getting offered these tours and getting to do these things is kind of surreal. At the end of the day, the reason we're musicians is because we were fans of music and still are. Being able to go out with some of these other artists that we're huge fans of is a big deal."

"This is the first year where we can look at our calendar and know that 2012 is pretty much set," adds EYB's bassist, Jon Jones. "It's a nice feeling. It's not like we know we're going to be busy through the end of February, and then hoping to pick up some shows."

The band's Australian run with McGraw and Hill is set for March and will be the first time they have been in that part of the world on tour.

"[It's going to be] absolutely incredible," says Eli, beaming. "It's going to be like a vacation."

Fans who catch the Eli Young Band on their headlining trek this year will also have an added bonus on their hands. They will be treated to seeing country artist on the rise Eric Paslay, who will be opening the shows throughout the tour. Besides building his own career as a country music singer, Paslay is a hit songwriter, already penning a No. 1 hit for Jake Owen ('Barefoot Blue Jean Night'). He is also a co-writer on the Eli Young Band's latest single, 'Even if It Breaks Your Heart,' as well as Love and Theft's current single, 'Angel Eyes.'

"He's such a great songwriter and a great guy," praises Jones. "It's great that he gets to be an artist, too. Hopefully we can get him a few of our fans who we've made over the years. It's fun with all these tours we're getting to be on with other people ... to go out and do our own thing and string something together and bring someone else along who we really enjoy spending time with is going to be something new and a lot of fun."

In fact, the tour could inspire some more great hits from Paslay if he is able to get some writing time in with the Eli Young Band.

"We've actually written songs with Eric before, so hopefully some of those songs will end up on the next record," Eli reveals. "We've already made plans to make sure we write while he's out. He's an incredible songwriter, and he's got an incredible voice. I'm really excited to see what happens and how country radio embraces his voice because it's so different and unique ... and he's really tall, so the girls are going to love him [laughs]!"

To keep up with the Eli Young Band's whirlwind schedule, visit their official website here.