• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, December 17, 2009

ABC has a deal to back the reprise of a concert tour with Mary J. Blige and Sheryl Crow. The Lilith Tour, which raises money for women's causes, ran for three years in the late 1990s and returns this summer.

ABC will promote its connection on-air and online, seeking to draft off the well-known and new artists from a variety of genres participating in the event scheduled for 13 U.S. stops to date.

Lilith artists and the festival itself might find their way into ABC shows via some type of product placement. The network will also have a grassroots presence on-site.

A big push also will be a link with the online ABC Music Lounge, which was launched in May and touts songs heard on ABC shows, while providing videos and opportunities to buy tunes.

ABC's marketing head Mike Benson stated that "music is a key part of our brand" and the network "admire(s) the philanthropic side of Lilith, which contributes to charities on both a local and national level."

Paradigm agent Marty Diamond, a co-founder of Lilith along with Sarah McLachlan and others, arranged the deal with ABC.

The initial list of artists, in addition to Crow and McLachlan, includes Colbie Caillat, Emmylou Harris, Grace Potter, Sugarland and the Indigo Girls.