Continuing the momentum brought about by the release of his 22nd album project Wonder, Smith’s early 2011 schedule finds him honoring the centennial birthday of a former president, lending a hand to the now year-long recovery of the island nation of Haiti, and hitting the road for a tour with a longtime friend.

The ‘2 Friends Tour’ brings Smith back together with Amy Grant for the pair’s first tour together in more than two decades, since the record-breaking Lead Me On tour of 1988-89. The two have continued to collaborate over the years, creating some of Christian music’s most memorable songs, and Smith acknowledges that finding the right mix of music for the upcoming tour, which begins Feb. 2 in Rocklin, Calif., will be daunting.

“When I think about set lists and what we might do together, the question isn’t, ‘Where do we start?’” Smith notes. “The question is, ‘Where do we stop?’ This will be a fun night with a lot of great memories.”

Prior to the ‘2 Friends Tour’ kickoff, Smith will make a couple of high-profile appearances, starting this Sunday, Jan. 9 alongside evangelist Franklin Graham for a crusade in Haiti, and also Sunday, Feb. 6 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., as part of the celebration of the former president’s 100th birthday.

“I’m pleased to make another trip to Haiti in support of people who so desperately need our continued help and support. The tragedy of the 2010 earthquake is an everyday reality for these folks and I hope that we will not forget our commitment to our brothers and sisters there.”

“Performing at President Reagan’s birthday celebration is a real honor. He was an amazing leader, diplomat and humanitarian. He set the bar high for all those in public office. I’m grateful to join Amy Grant, The Beach Boys and others to celebrate his life and his legacy.”

The first quarter of 2011 will also see Smith make an impact in the print world, both with the March publication of his 12th book “A Simple Blessing: The Extraordinary Power of an Ordinary Prayer,” and as part of a Dayspring/Hallmark line of audio greeting cards. Smith will be featured on point-of-purchase displays of the new card line at more than 1,000 retail outlets around the country.

After the ‘2 Friends Tour’ wraps March 6 in Lancaster, Pa., Smith will head out on a 20-25 date spring tour in support of Wonder before embarking on an active schedule of summer appearances around the country. More details on the spring Wonder tour forthcoming.

About Michael W. Smith:
Throughout his 28-year career as a recording artist, Michael W. Smith has amassed an impressive catalog of achievements. His prior 21 albums have garnered multiple honors including an American Music Award, three GRAMMY ® Awards (from 13 nominations), 44 GMA Dove Awards (in addition to 1 nomination in the 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards) and 33 No. 1 radio hits. In addition, he holds 16 Gold, 7 Platinum and 2 Double-Platinum albums for career sales approaching 17 million. Wonder, Smith’s 22nd career album, released Sept. 28, 2010.

Smith, who was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2009, has scored several film projects, written 12 books and has been featured by media outlets including “Hannity,” NBC’s “Today Show,” ABC’s “Good Morning America,” “NBC Nightly News,” “Larry King Live,” “FOX & Friends,” “Hannity and Colmes,” The Associated Press, Billboard magazine, USA Today, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, has been named one of People magazine's “Most Beautiful People” and has presented multiple times on the GRAMMY ®Awards show. His tours consistently rank among the best attended in the country, and he has performed to capacity crowds throughout the world.

Constantly giving back to the community, one of Smith’s current projects is Rocketown – a nightclub for teens in his hometown of Nashville, Tenn. – which serves as safe place for young people to enjoy music and for artists to be discovered. He and wife of 29 years, Debbie, are the proud parents of five children. For up-to-date information on Michael W. Smith, please visit www.michaelwsmith.com or www.providentpress.com.

For more info on Michael W. Smith, visit the JFH Artists Database.