Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina, one of the most outstanding and successful duos of the 1970s, have reunited for the first time in nearly 30 years for a national tour, appropriately called "Sittin' In Again Reunion Tour."

The tour will begin in Idaho Friday night and continue through early September, with more than 40 concert dates planned in major cities and venues across the country and Canada.

A local highlight of the tour will be a specially added concert from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, July 8, at the Santa Barbara Bowl benefiting Arts Outreach and the Orcutt Children's Arts Foundation. The benefit concert will be filmed and recorded for television and DVD production.

The idea behind a Loggins & Messina reunion tour actually began when the two artists, along with Richie Furay, Rusty Young and Paul Cotton of Poco performed two benefit concerts for Arts Outreach in Solvang last fall, to packed houses.

Initially, the concerts were to be held at Solvang Theaterfest, an outdoor theater, but due to inclement weather the venue was moved to the Presbyterian Church at the last minute.

"The energy in the room was amazing," said Anne Farina, one of the guests who attended last year's Tuesday evening performance. "The walls were shaking, everyone was on their feet and the Lord's house rocked."

"The magic between the two is definitely still there," said Santa Ynez Valley visitor Amy Feldman. "The audience swooned, including myself."

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As Loggins told CBS morning show co-anchor Hannah Storm about the reason they decided to play together again, "It was just time. We had a couple of charity shows that we did together. The music felt good. We felt like we were becoming friends again. So we thought we'd give it a try."

Not since 1976 have audiences had the opportunity to see what critics hailed as one of the best live acts of the early '70s. With smash hits such as "Your Mama Don't Dance," "Vahevala," "House at Pooh Corner," "Angry Eyes" and "Danny's Song" still resonating with music lovers nationwide, "The Sittin' In Again Reunion Tour" will give audiences a chance to experience these songs again, celebrating the past, present and future.

In addition to performing some of their biggest hits, both Loggins and Messina will perform solo material and will feature a segment allowing other musical guests to join them onstage.

"We're really looking forward to the audiences," the duo said in a press release. "We're looking forward to seeing good friends from long ago, as well as some friends we've picked up along the way."

In conjunction with the tour, Columbia/Legacy has released "The Best: Loggins & Messina Sittin' In Again." The album features a collection of 18 tracks, including some of the band's most celebrated hits.

BOX OFFICE:

Tickets for the benefit concert at the Santa Barbara Bowl are $100 for premium seating, which will include a wine-and-cheese reception with the artists after the concert.

A limited number of tickets are available and these premium seats are anticipated to sell out quickly, organizers say.

They need to be purchased directly through Arts Outreach by calling 688-9533.