3.8.14 Brian May: "We're going into new territory."

Classic rock band Queen are to tour North America this summer but who will be able to fill the late Freddie Mercury's shoes? Why, previous American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert.

For this writer that is great news as she has been an ardent fan of Lambert from his early Idol days. Hard core Queen fans seem to be giving the selection a mixed response though.

That cannot be as Adam is gay as there was no bigger Queen in every sense of the word than Freddie Mercury, a great musician in every way.

It cannot be as they feel no other performer can replace Freddie as there have been others, notably Paul Rodgers of Free fame.

It is doubtful that it is because Lambert is American leaving the obvious conclusion that it is difficult for many to forget American Idol.

Even though rockers such as Slash and Kiss have made cameo appearances on the show, Slash mentoring Lambert, Idol just lacks street cred.

UK fans will also hope that Queen manage to tour further afield than North America including at home but it has to said the band members just aren't getting any younger. Still by comparison to The Rolling Stones, Queen are mere children.

In 2012 Lambert acted as fromnt man for Queen when they performed across Europe, a tour which include Russia, Ukraine and Poland. They also had three sold-out shows at London’s Hammersmith Apollo.

ABC News reports, original band members Brian May and Roger Taylor announced today [Thursday] in an appearance on “Good Morning America,” news of the tour and Adam Lambert's Queen appearances. Will he become a permanent fixture of the band? Doubtful as that was mentioned some time ago and it was said he has his own career.

Queen band members originally performed with Lambert in 2009 when they joined forces during the American Idol season eight finale to perform the band’s rock anthem “We Are the Champions”. Adam did not win Idol 2009 but came in second, a fact which has not hurt his career one bit.

The truth is winning contests such as American Idol, X Factor or the Voice UK can be a kiss of death to a music career. Runners up often do much better.

Tour Info: The tour consists of 19 dates in North America kicking off June 19 at the United Center in Chicago. The tour will include dates in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Vancouver, Montreal and Las Vegas. before it wraps up July 20 in Washington, D.C., at the Merriweather Post Pavilion.

The tour is presented by Live Nation and tickets will be on sale beginning Friday, March 14 through the Live Nation mobile app and at Livenation.com.