NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Mountain Dew and CMT today announced a partnership that will take the country music and entertainment franchise's no-boundaries performance series – CONCRETE COUNTRY – on the road and into prime time. 

CONCRETE COUNTRY, which originally launched as a digital franchise on CMT.com, has served as a home for artists who make music on their own terms since 2012. Originally filmed on the streets of Nashville, eight new episodes were filmed in hometowns and on iconic city streets around the country that were pivotal to the success of featured artists, including Brian Davis, Casey Donahew Band, The Dirty River Boys, Nikki Lane, Stoney LaRue, The Black Lillies, Turnpike Troubadours and Whiskey Myers.  The new season of CONCRETE COUNTRY will debut on primetime TV as 10-minute specials beginning in July on CMT.

"Back to its roots in the foothills of Tennessee, country music has been a core part of Mountain Dew history," said Greg Lyons, Vice President of Brand Marketing, Mountain Dew. "Mountain Dew and CMT share a common interest in supporting singers and songwriters that make music on their own terms, so we couldn't be more pleased to have a hand in showcasing the talents of eight new emerging artists through the CONCRETE COUNTRY program."

"Mountain Dew is an iconic brand, and their shared passion for music discovery made CONCRETE COUNTRY the perfect franchise for this partnership," said Anthony Barton, Senior Vice President of Integrated Marketing, CMT.  "With the support of Mountain Dew, we are eager to elevate this series across CMT platforms and provide a new opportunity for up-and-coming artists to have their music and stories heard by millions of new fans."

CONCRETE COUNTRY will be prominently highlighted across CMT.com and social media.  Exclusive bonus performances will be available online at concretecountry.cmt.com.

ABOUT MOUNTAIN DEW
Mountain Dew, a product of PepsiCo Americas Beverages, is the No. 1 flavored carbonated soft drink in the U.S. With its one-of-a-kind citrus taste, Mountain Dew exhilarates and quenches with every sip. In addition to original Mountain Dew® and Diet Mountain Dew®, the permanent DEW product line includes Mountain Dew Code Red®, Mountain Dew LiveWire®, Mountain Dew Throwback®, Mountain Dew Voltage® and Mountain Dew White Out®. For more information, check out www.mountaindew.com, www.facebook.com/mountaindew or follow on twitter @mtn_dew.

ABOUT CMT
CMT, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and entertainment, reaching more than 92 million homes in the U.S.  CMT and its website, CMT.com, offer an unparalleled mix of music, news, live concerts and series and is the top resource for country music on demand.  The network's digital platforms include the 24-hour music channel, CMT Pure Country, CMT Mobile and CMT VOD.

ABOUT CONCRETE COUNTRY
CONCRETE COUNTRY launched on CMT.com in March 2012, dedicated to music discovery and serving as a home to gritty performances by alt-country and roots faves.  The series has featured sidewalk performances by singer/songwriters Caitlin Rose, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Green River Ordiance, Jason Boland, Lydia Loveless, Robert Ellis, The Farewell Drifters, The Infamous Stringdusters, The Lumineers, Trampled by Turtles, Will Hoge and Yarn, to name a few.  CONCRETE COUNTRY is executive produced by Mark Hall and Lewis Bogach for CMT and CMT.com.

SOURCE PepsiCo