• by Wendy Davis  @wendyndavis, November 1, 2006

Ford Motor Co. is sponsoring the debut of AOL Black Voices' new music show, "The Bridge," which will go live today.

Ford is touting its 2007 crossover utility vehicle, Ford Edge, on the new show. Ford will run banner ads for the car starting today, and on Nov. 8 the company will begin running a pre-roll video ad for the new Edge. Ford will be the exclusive sponsor for the next six weeks, an AOL spokesperson said.

"The Bridge" pairs an established musician with a newcomer. For the premiere, Lionel Richie will perform "Easy" as a duet with Lyfe Jennings. The segment clocks in at just over five minutes.

AOL Black Voices, which last year tapped MTV Networks vet Janet Rolle to serve as vice president and general manager, has recently launched several music initiatives. The site, in conjunction with AOL Music, recently streamed tracks from Sean "Diddy" Combs's new album, "Press Play," as well as live performances from Keisha Cole and Al Green, among others.

Ford Lincoln brand also will sponsor an upcoming bridal fashion show from designer Amsale that will be available on AOL Black Voices beginning Nov. 8.

In addition, Ford has sponsored other AOL sections, including a Spanish-language guide to 16 U.S. cities on AOL Latino.