Sarah Johns opens George Strait tour

"Believe it or not, I just had my tonsils taken out, so I couldn't scream or even talk. All I could do was cry and text everybody I knew," said the Kentucky native whose debut album, "Big Love In A Small Town," was released earlier this year.

Johns said, "I've wanted to do this my whole life and to be part of the George Strait Tour is a blessing and a dream come true. If you've listened to my record you know I love country music...the countrier the better, so as you can imagine, I'm a huge George Strait fan."

Johns will rehearse her show and get ready for the holidays until the tour starts Jan. 20, 2008 in Austin. "This is the greatest Christmas present I've ever had, but I wouldn't mind a set of twin fiddles for the tour!"

Tour dates are:
Jan. 10 Austin, Frank Erwin Center, University of Texas at Austin
Jan. 11 - Oklahoma City, Okla., Ford Center
Jan. 12, Little Rock, Ark., Alltel Arena
Jan. 17 - Birmingham, Ala., BJCC
Jan. 18 - Gwinnett, Ga., Gwinnett Arena
Jan. 19 - Tampa, FL St. Pete Times Forum (Tampa Bay Arena)
Jan. 24 - Jacksonville, Fla., Veterans Memorial
Jan. 25 - Columbia, SC, Colonial Center
Jan. 26 - Baltimore 1st Mariner Arena
Jan. 31 - Sacramento, Cal., ARCO Arena
Feb. 1 - Fresno, Cal., Save Mart Center at Fresno State
Feb. 2 - Las Vegas, Garden Arena
Feb. 15, Charleston, West., Charleston Civic Center
Feb. 16 -Philadelphia, Wachovia Center
Feb. 28 - Richmond, Va., Richmond Coliseum
Feb. 29 - Lexington, KY Rupp Arena
March 1 - Cleveland, Quicken Loans
March 6 - Albuquerque, N.M., University Arena (The Pit)
March 7 - Lubbock, Texas, United Spirit Arena
March 28 - Oakland, Cal., Oracle Arena
March 29 - Los Angeles, Home Depot Center

Johns's second single, "He Hates Me," hits radio in January as well. "It's a song I wrote about chasing a guy who really wants nothing to do with you. Some of it is a real life experience for me, but not the part about having a restraining order taken out on me, or at least not that I know of."