The COVID-19 safe festival will sport a substantial line-up of Australian artists with headliner acts including beloved artists Jimmy Barnes, Hoodoo Gurus, Jon Stevens, Diesel, Vika & Linda, and Chris Cheney.

The legendary Jimmy Barnes said 2020 has seen the longest gap he has had between tours since he left Adelaide with Cold Chisel when he was a teenager.

"What I do best, and what I have done for 50 years is play live music. After 12 months to get out and play live music again for audience, I'm really excited at the prospect of it," he said.

"It's time to stop playing songs in my house and start heading back out on the road."

"I'm fired up and ready to go."

Barnes has done plenty of the Red Hot Summer Tours over the years but still keeps coming back for more, partly due to the organisation of the tour.

"One of the reasons I enjoy doing them is Duane, the guy who runs them...always puts on a great show."

"He doesn't skimp on production, he makes sure that they're great venues, he makes sure that the crowds are well looked after, and he allows me to help pick the bill, to make the best bill possible to do a great show."

"[It's] just a great bill, really happy to be doing it. [I'm] looking forward to coming back to Tassie again, I always have a good time down there."

The singer-songwriter will be performing songs from his 17^th solo album My Criminal Record as well as some of his work on the new Cold Chisel record. He said he may also slip in some brand new songs.

However, he assured readers that patrons will still get to hear the classics they know and love.

"I want people to come and know the stuff they are going to hear."

He said the Red Hot Summer Tour attendees are a "tough, discerning, loud, good time, rock and roll crowd which you have got to love".

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Even after all his years of experience the man affectionately known as Barnesy still gets nervous on the day of a show.

"I'm nervous from the minute I wake up on the day of a show. Sometimes it gets unbearable. I pace around and I'm hyperactive."

He gets to every one of his shows early and screams as part of his warm up process.

"I gargle with honey, hot water and apple cider vinegar and then spit it out and scream. I do that for about an hour until my voice is warmed up. It's not attractive to humans but it works."

Barnes has recently dropped his new single Killing Time and his third book Killing Time: short stories from the long way home debuted as number one on non-fiction book charts.

Promoter Duane McDonald said the return of the festival was a result of continuous hard work to ensure the tour complies with COVID safety regulations, after having to cancel much of the 2020 show.

"Bringing together our mates in the music industry and taking the tour around Australia has always been special, but next year's run is going to mean a lot to everyone," he said.

"We've invited some of the artists who have been championing the tour from the very beginning and know everyone can't wait to put on an incredible show."

Diesel said the Red Hot Summer Tour will mean so much more to artists and their audiences since the pandemic has occurred.

"It is a healthy escapism that people need, the power of music is therapeutic. In hindsight of what we have all been through, it is the escapism we need," he said.

"If we can make people forget about stuff for a couple of hours, that is a good thing."

Jon Stevens said he has missed performing and can't wait to be back on stage.

The addition of New South Wales and Victoria to the tour is yet to be announced pending the further easing of the pandemic restrictions.

"We look forward to being able to announce more dates on the 2021 shortly, with Victoria and New South Wales joining the itinerary," Mr McDonald said.

Launceston will see the tour on Saturday March 13 at the Country Club and Hobart will experience the show on Sunday March 14 at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens.

Tickets will go on sale November 12 from 9am and are only available through Ticketmaster. Punters are advised to not to purchase tickets through other third party sellers as fraudulent tickets will not be honoured.

For more information on the tour visit www.redhotsummertour.com.au.