Springsteen Kicks Off world tour on March 18

Bruce Springsteen will launch a major tour of the United States and Europe in Atlanta, Georgia on March 18, 12 days after his latest album comes out, his official website said Tuesday.

It will be the 62-year-old rock legend's first big outing with the E Street Band since 2009, and the first without beloved saxophonist Clarence Clemons, a big part of The Boss's sound, who died in June last year at the age of 69.

Springsteen is to play 16 US cities, many of them in or near his native New Jersey, before crossing the Atlantic for no fewer than 32 European gigs including the Isle of Wight festival on June 24, brucespringsteen.net said.

Columbia Records is releasing Springsteen's 17th studio album, "Wrecking Ball," on March 6, a few days before he appears as the keynote speaker at the South by Southwest music and media festival in Austin, Texas.