&x27;Greatest Songwriter on the Planet&x27; Announces 2026 Tour Dates 28 Years After Critically Acclaimed Debut Album Jacqueline Burt CoteThu, February 5, 2026 at 2:00 AM UTC 0 (Photo by Catherine McGann on Getty Images) When it comes to a musical pedigree, Rufus Wainwright's is more impressive than most. The Grammynominated musician, once called the "greatest songwriter on the planet" by none other than Elton John, is the son of folk icons Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle...but now he's a renowned musician in his own right.
'Greatest Songwriter on the Planet' Announces 2026 Tour Dates 28 Years After Critically Acclaimed Debut Album
Jacqueline Burt CoteThu, February 5, 2026 at 2:00 AM UTC
0
(Photo by Catherine McGann on Getty Images)
When it comes to a musical pedigree, Rufus Wainwright's is more impressive than most. The Grammy-nominated musician, once called the "greatest songwriter on the planet" by none other than Elton John, is the son of folk icons Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle...but now he's a renowned musician in his own right.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, his earliest memories involve singing with his mother, per The San Francisco Standard, and he's been making music ever since: His accomplishments include multiple critically acclaimed albums (beginning with his 1998 self-titled debut), two operas, and countless unforgettable performances...just to name a few. Now, East Coast fans will have a chance to see the beloved musician live onstage when he hits the road this April.
As the 52-year-old announced in a recent Instagram post, he'll be kicking off a brief run on April 14 in Pittsburgh at the City Winery (playing an early show and a late show). He'll play another show in Sellersville, Pennsylvania, the next day, before heading to Somerville, Massachusetts, for a show on April 17.
According to his official website, Wainwright also has a couple of NYC dates scheduled this winter, on Feb. 21 and March 12. The rest of his shows listed for 2026 at this time are in Europe. Tickets for the April shows go on sale Friday, Feb. 6 at 10 a.m. local time.
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Rufus Wainwright released a Kurt Weill tribute album last year
After a near lifelong fascination with the work of German-American composer Kurt Weill, Wainwright released a tribute album with the Pacific Jazz Orchestra in 2025 titled: I'm a Stranger Here Myself — Wainwright Does Weill.
"I first came in contact with Kurt when I was about 12 or 13," he said in a November interview with Americana UK. "I was at a record store and I saw an album with Lotte Lenya on the cover. It was really the photograph that got me first. I had to buy the record, went home and put it on. It was Kurt, of course, singing both the Berlin songs and also the American songs. What really got me was the variety in the types of music I discovered — cabaret, big band — it was such a rich landscape to investigate as a young, curious musician."
"The songs of Kurt Weill have long haunted my imagination and remain solidly mysterious," Wainwright continued, adding, "Be it the opening trap of 'Mack the Knife' or the closing explosion of 'Lost in the Stars,' this wondrous musical journey began, continues, and will never end."
Fans are hoping Wainwright's musical journey will go on forever, too.
Related: '90s Rock Icon Has First Hot 100 Hit 32 Years After Its Release
This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: February 05, 2026 at 08:10AM on Source: MARIO MAG
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