ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) — There’s a bit of a trend brewing this summer concert season — put together a couple of big-name acts for
a nationwide tour, then record a song together to promote the event. Members of Styx, REO Speedwagon and Journey in 2003. Styx and REO have teamed up for a song and tour. It started with classic rockers REO Speedwagon and Styx, with their “Can’t Stop Rockin’ ” tour and single of the same name. Now Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire are getting on the bandwagon. The two horn-heavy bands have recorded three songs especially for their joint 30-city summer tour. It’s part of a charity campaign to benefit food banks across the country — “Three Songs for Three Cans or Three Dollars.” Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire team up on the new song “You.” The bands also take a stab at each other’s material, with Chicago recording Earth, Wind & Fire’s “I Can’t Let You Go” and Earth, Wind & Fire covering Chicago’s “Wishing You Were Here.” “The fact that the artists and bands, in this case, are touring together builds excitement with the possibility of the live performance that is exclusive to the tour,” said Bruce Burch of the University of Georgia’s Music Business School.
It’s “sort of a ‘once in a lifetime’ type of attraction that helps to sell concert tickets, merchandise and, hopefully, CDs and downloads.”