Starting towards the end of July, the singer/songwriter is making good on her resolutions and hitting the road on her first-ever acoustic tour. Taking just a piano, guitar and bass, Shepard and band will play a spate of shows in the States, with most in the South and Midwest. A handful of concerts are on the books for the West Coast, including two featuring her big band.

A full-length European tour has also just been announced. The itinerary finds Shepard in Ireland and the U.K. around mid-October, and then heading to the continent until the end of November.

The intimate tour is designed to showcase Shepard’s latest album, Chinatown. The disc was released last September and features guitarist Val McCallum, drummer Pete Thomas of Elvis Costello’s Attractions, and bassist Davey Faragher.

Somewhere toward the end of September, Shepard will be releasing a “best of” album. Although not titled, the CD is expected to contain “10 or 12 tracks, plus four never-released live tracks.”