Aerosmith has officially invited Mindi Abair to be the featured saxophonist on their “Global Warming Tour,” which kicks off this week. Abair is travelling to Minneapolis to rehearse with the band and then begins the tour.

The saxophonist/vocalist’s upcoming tour dates with Aerosmith cap a string of recent highlights: Over the past several months, Abair has performed with Bruce Springsteen at New York’s famed Beacon Theatre for Comedy Central’s Stand Up For Heroes concert, played with Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra on the Late Show with David Letterman, became a featured saxophonist on American Idol and now will participate in one of the major concert tours of the year with Aerosmith.

“I grew up as a rock ‘n’ roll girl,” Abair says. “I wanted to sing like Tina Turner or Steven Tyler. I couldn’t. But with a saxophone I could do anything I wanted. It’s such an honor to share the stage with Aerosmith for this tour. From the first time I played with Steven Tyler off-the-cuff backstage at American Idol there was this beautiful energy. He’s so inspiring, and he takes melodies where no one else does. And as a saxophonist, that’s a dream. I’m just working off him and loving every second of it.”

On Sunday, August 26, Abair will perform with her band at the Hollywood Bowl for the first time ever. In fact, she’s playing the Hollywood Bowl twice this summer – once as a solo artist and again with Aerosmith.

Abair brings a fearless energy and abandon to the stage as a powerhouse on the saxophone, reminiscent of some of her heroes: Clarence Clemons, Bobby Keys and King Curtis. Her latest solo recording, In Hi-Fi Stereo, was released in 2010 on Heads Up International, a division of Concord Music Group. Her single “Be Beautiful” remained #1 on the Contemporary Jazz Radio charts for seven weeks adding to a solo career that has already produced ten #1 radio singles from five major label solo releases.

To learn more about Mindi Abair here.