The John Lennon Education Tour Bus

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THE BLACK EYED PEAS AND THE JOHN LENNON EDUCATIONAL TOUR BUS INSPIRE A NEW GENERATION

Chart-Breaking Group and One-of-a-Kind Non-Profit Multimedia Studio on Wheels Give Kids the Chance of a Lifetime

L to R: Peter Chan (Boys & Girls Club), Fergie, Taboo, Ngan Thai (BGCA), will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Dina Friah (BGCA)

September 9, 2009 – Seattle, WA— Last week The Black Eyed Peas set a record for most weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (22). This week they are helping keep John Lennon’s legacy alive by inspiring a new generation of musicians.

On Monday, September 7th, at the Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival in Seattle, The Black Eyed Peas and the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, a non-profit state-of the art mobile music studio, gave 3 kids from the Southwest Boys & Girls Club the chance of a lifetime – to interview the group, play music and produce their very own video project – all in the same state-of-the art recording studio where the Peas, Fergie, Natasha Bedingfield – and more!—have laid tracks.       

“Coming on this Bus brings back so many memories,” said Fergie.  “I wouldn’t have been able to release “The Dutchess” without this Bus coming with us on tour, and going before shows, after shows, doing vocals here and there. It’s such a great chance for people who may not have lived in LA or NY or Atlanta, to have a chance to show their skills.  It’s an amazing tool.”

“I think it’s great that the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus goes around America on tours like Bumbershoot and the Warped Tour,” adds will.i.am. “Especially now in America, when a lot of money has been taken away from music in schools. The Bus teaches music, lets kids learn and helps fill the void of the lack of funds that are allocated for music and arts.”

The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus supports innovative programs for young people including giving them much needed access to music and the digital arts, one of the few growing fields in today’s economy. The Bus goes to schools, Boys & Girls Clubs and campuses across the country working with students to create music/video/multimedia projects.  Now in its 12th year, the facility features the latest technology, including Apple audio and video solutions, as well as the latest traditional musical instruments.  In addition to student workshops, the Bus also gives tours and introduces visitors to the studios, explaining and demonstrating music and video production, introducing an array of possible opportunities within the music and multimedia industries.

The Bus reaches over 250,000 students a year through its tours and workshops. For more information on the Bus, or to request a visit from the Bus to your school or campus, please visit http://www.lennonbus.org. The edited BGCA video of the Peas will be available Friday. To see the kids in action click here: http://www.king5.com/video/featured-index.html?nvid=396183.

About the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus: The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is a non-profit state-of-the-art mobile Pro Audio and HD video recording facility that provides hands-on experiences for students of all ages. In its 12th year of touring, the venture is proud of its brand new bus and its studios, which boast the latest audio and video technology, gear and products. The concept began as an offshoot of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, which is dedicated to providing opportunities for both professional and amateur songwriters around the world. The Bus travels across the U.S. and Canada year-round, providing free tours and workshops at schools, retailers, festivals, on tours with headlining artists, and at major industry conferences. The Bus, a 501(c)(3) venture, is made possible through the generosity of sponsors including Apple, Maxell Corporation, NAMM,  Rock Band 2, Roland, Sibelius, Sonicbids, Godin Guitars, Disc Makers, Edirol by Roland,  Mackie, Crate, Ampeg, Boss, Digital Media Academy, The Betsy Hotel, Aphex Systems, Audio-Technica, Glyph Technologies, Neutrik, Music Player Network, Propellerhead, Musician’s Friend, Ableton, Digidesign, Apogee, Sony, Abaltat, Litepanels, McDSP, IK Multimedia, Native Instruments, Gretsch Drums, Bogen Imaging, Noise Industries, The Plutzik Goldwasser Family Foundation and broadjam.com. The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is made possible by an agreement with Yoko Ono Lennon.


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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Laura Johnson
The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus
(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
(760) 450-7749

Something like this should be parked outside of every school in America.

- Vernon Reid, Living Colour

The Headlines

Video aboard the Bus

The increasing accessibility of digital technology has led to an amazing expansion of opportunity in the art of digital storytelling. The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus has been at the forefront of this new media explosion, having produced daily video projects with students since January of 2001. The Lennon Bus puts state-of-the-art digital video equipment into the hands of workshop participants and teaches the entire digital workflow from story-boarding to DVD burning. Students leave the experience having shot, chopped, scored, and (most importantly) finished an entire digital video production. Using the latest cameras and professional hardware/software solutions including Apple's Final Cut Studio and Bogen Imaging's complete line of grip equipment, tripods, filters, and accessories, participants are exposed to the exciting world of digital videography and learn hot techniques of the trade. The accessibility of professional-quality technology is making it possible for millions of new voices to be heard and the John Lennon Bus is putting these tools into the hands of tomorrow's great digital producers.