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 `` Ca n'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 Ca n'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 . '' Concertgoers who contribute three cans of food or donate at least $ 3 will get a download card to access the tunes . People who do n't make the shows will be able to donate online and download the songs at www.ewfandchicago.com . The Web site is expected to launch in early June . `` This is a dream come true , '' said Earth , Wind & Fire 's Philip Bailey , who came up with the three-songs promotion . `` We want to invite everyone to help us do our small part to help feed America , '' added Chicago 's trumpeter Lee Loughnane . Artists jamming together on stage is nothing new , and occasionally the songs are released as singles -- U2 and B.B . King 's `` When Love Comes to Town , '' from the 1988 album and film `` Rattle and Hum , '' for example . Of course , duets promoting two hot artists or bands are hardly new either . Remember Josh Groban and Charlotte Church on `` The Prayer '' or `` Almost Paradise '' by Ann Wilson of Heart and Mike Reno of Loverboy from the `` Footloose '' soundtrack ? `` Hip-hop artists have been using duets for some time to reach audiences of both artists , '' Burch said . In some cases , more than two artists collaborate . `` Even before that , country artists used this means to reach a larger audience for both artists , '' he said , noting the collaborations between George Jones and Tammy Wynette , and Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn . The new songs for the 2009 tours flip conventional wisdom . For decades , groups have recorded albums , then gone on tour to promote them . Specifically recording songs to promote a tour featuring a pairing of acts is a new idea -- and possibly one whose time has come , given the re-emergence of singles in the digital download age . Of course , it all depends on the success of the song . In the case of REO Speedwagon and Styx , they 've scored a hit with their new tune . It 's been riding near the top of the classic rock charts -- the biggest original hit by either band in years . `` The jam ... is just plain , old-school , rock ' n ' roll fun , '' REO Speedwagon 's Kevin Cronin said on the band 's Web site . Should other bands follow suit and score hits , it might prompt other classic pop artists to join forces not only on tour , but in the studio as well .
Styx and REO Speedwagon have combined for hit and tour . America and Earth , Wind & Fire recorded two songs for joint tour . Combining forces not new , but way it 's being used may be .