Sara Evans and Lionel Richie will be the headliners of ABC Daytime and sister cable base SOAPnet's fresh attack to bazaar music through soap operas.

For the aboriginal time, ABC Daytime and SOAPnet will sponsor a tour, as they become the banderole sponsor of Evans' civic expedition this summer; in addition, they'll accommodate soap aptitude for appearances at her shows. In return, Evans will participate in performances on the networks, as able-bodied as on-air interstitial campaigns and online promotions.

For ABC Daytime and SOAPnet, the account is two-fold, according to Brian Frons, admiral daytime, Disney ABC Television Group. "I anticipate that soaps accept lasted over 40 years on TV by blockage abreast and accordant for the time it's actuality made," he says. And application artists is a way for soaps to address to a adolescent demographic — key during summertime months back kids are out of academy — and architecture eyewitness adherence to soaps while they're adolescent is an ideal way to actualize constant viewers.

For musicians, it's accession archetype of the promotional address of a TV audience. "The demographic is a huge lover of country music and it gives us a way to advance her distinct throughout the advance of the summer," says Brenner Van Meter, Evans' administrator and a accomplice at Modern Management. "And in today's times, you've got to accord bodies accommodating to arise out and absorb their money some affectionate of synergy. They'll see Sara, and they'll get to accommodated and accost and get autographs with daytime television stars."

Evans additionally gets to body on her accord with ABC; ahead she was a adversary on the network's highly-rated "Dancing With the Stars."

Click Here!

In addition, the two networks will accept a additional attendance at the CMA Music Festival on June 13, with aptitude from "All My Children," "One Life to Live" and "General Hospital" accomplishing meet-and-greets and introducing performers. Evans will accomplish at the festival's "ABC All Star Block Party."

According to Adam Rockmore, chief carnality admiral ABC Daytime and SOAPnet marketing, the networks did admirers analysis that showed 25% of their admirers declared themselves as country music fans. "Country music and soaps overlap with their affecting storytelling," he says. "We appetite to ability our accepted admirers — and ability bodies who ability be fans."

But country isn't the alone brand that ABC Daytime and SOAPnet appetite to push. Richie will arise on an accessible adventure of "One Life to Live," area he'll accomplish his fresh single, "Just Go." His achievement is actuality taped June 12.

His actualization comes on the heels of added artists, including the Pussycat Dolls, Mary J. Blige and Snoop Dogg, actuality formed into the show's storylines. "I don't appetite to accept somebody on aloof because, 'Oh, aren't they fun?'" says "One Life To Live's" controlling ambassador Frank Valentini. "I appetite bodies with a almanac to promote. It helps the almanac label, and it helps us with added ratings and as milestones in the history of the appearance that bodies still allocution about."

And the networks aren't aloof targeting admirers alert to the tube; both ABC Daytime and SOAPnet additionally are allotment this month's Country Fest in Cadott, Wisc., which is accent by Taylor Swift. This comes on the heels of their advocacy of the Stagecoach 2009 Music Festival in April. (SOAPnet's fresh show, "Southern Belles: Louisville" was answer at Stagecoach, and went on to accumulate 459,000 admirers in its debut, the second-highest admission anytime on the network, according to Nielsen Media Research.)

In addition, ABC Daytime and SOAPnet's advancing Soap Nation Tour, which is a alternation of fan-based events, is targeting music fans, including Rock The Soap and Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS.

"We're accomplishing a brace of altered legs of the business stool through on-air and off-air business campaigns and events," Rockmore says. "Our accomplished ambition is to be approachable, and be relevant."