Summer dates have been added to John Mayer’s 2010 world tour, extending his ongoing outing to support “Battle Studies,” the fourth studio album of Mayer’s released last fall.

The summer trek will kick off in Charlotte, NC on July 16 and wrap up two months later in West Palm Beach FL on September 11. The trek’s current spring leg started in early February and will continue in Seattle on March 31. Eight dates remain before the leg wraps up in Chicago on April 10.

Tickets for the Hartford, CT show on August 7, Mayer’s hometown, will be going on sale on April 16. On April 17 selected other dates will be going on sale. A pre-sale will be held for Citi card members starting on April 14. Additional information is posted on Mayer’s website.

“Battle Studies” was co-produced by Steven Jordan and Mayer. It was released last November and debuted in the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s 200 chart. During the album’s first week it sold 286,000 copies. According to a recent press release, Mayer describes the set as a liberated, relaxed and confessional album incorporating the simplicity, warmth and melodies from 1970’s-80’s California pop and rock music.

Mayer said the way I approach music is similar to how a director does a period piece. “Continuum” was about Soul and R&B, whereas “Battle Studies” had the timelessness of Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty in mind when it was written. The messages and melodies are from the gut and concise with their simple efficiency.

“Continuum,” the previous studio album from Mayer released in 2006, won Mayer three Grammy nominations in 2007 and two awards: “Waiting on the World to Change” won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and “Continuum” won for Best Pop Vocal Album.