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Yoko Ono Lennon Celebrates John Lennon’s 70th Birthday Year
Arcadia Weekly Jan 18, 2010
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On Oct 9, 2010, friends, fans and family of John Lennon will celebrate the legendary John Lennon’s life on what should have been his 70th birthday.
A misty eyed Yoko Ono Lennon appeared at the Anaheim convention center Thursday afternoon in between a medley of Lennon songs sung by students who have benefited from Lennon Educational bus .Two other music legends, Jackson Browne and Quincy Jones helped celebrate not only John’s astonishing , albeit cut- short career, but his legacy and how musicians help kids, particularly in inner city schools, where arts programs simply don’t exist.
The John Lennon bus, Yoko Ono Lennon, Quincy Jones and Jackson Browne – Keep John Lennon’s Legacy Alive – kicked off his 70th Birthday Celebration at the 2010 NAMM Show
Legendary Icons Show Their Support for Music Education in His Honor; John Lennon Educational Tour Bus Keeps Making Music Alive for Students Across America
“This is precisely the type of project that John Lennon would have loved.” said Yoko.
. Quincy Jones and Jackson Browne joined Yoko in speaking out supporting the importance of music education on behalf of American youth. Students from South Central Los Angeles’ Fernando Pullum Performing Arts School performed a medley of Lennon songs, kicking off with “Imagine,” with Rickey Minor, the musical director of American Idol and Fishbone.
Yoko is utilizing this year to celebrate John’s legacy and is showing her continued support of music education and the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, which gives students across the country free hands-on access to music and the digital arts.
As Yoko stated, “John’s voice was unique and beautiful and his voice is still here traveling all over the United States on the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, so that students across the country can make music.”
“The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is a non-profit outreach program with the mission of giving kids a chance to express themselves through music and video productions,” she said. “It has been a living legacy to John’s passion for musical expression and artistic freedom. By utilizing the on-the-road John Lennon Educational Tour Bus and its fine studio set-up, thousands of students have written, recorded and produced original songs and videos – students who otherwise might not have had the opportunity to explore these avenues of creativity. At a time with music education in the schools is facing tough funding challenges, the Bus has been a rolling testament to the enduring, positive power of music making.”
The students from the Fernando Pullum Performing Arts School performed a medley of Lennon tunes at the event. In an area of Los Angeles where only 30% of students graduate from high school, 100% of Fernando’s students graduate from high school, and 99% have gone on to college. To learn how to keep music in your local community, go to www.supportmusic.com, a non-profit outreach initiative of the NAMM Foundation.
EMI Music will also commemorate John Lennon’s 70th birthday with special edition music releases, to be announced soon.
The NAMM Foundation is a non-profit organization with the mission of advancing active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs from the international music products industry. For more information about The NAMM Foundation, please visit www.nammfoundation.org. For more information on how to support music education programs in your local community, go to www.supportmusic.com.
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, The Beatles: Rock Band, Gibson, Epiphone, Sony, Avid, Roland, Mackie, GHS Strings, Sonicbids, Disc Makers, Edirol by Roland, Blackheart Amps, Ampeg, Boss, Digital Media Academy, Aphex Systems, Audio-Technica, Glyph Technologies, Neutrik, Music Player Network, Propellerhead, Musician’s Friend, Harris Corporation, Ableton, Apogee, Litepanels, Applied Acoustics Systems, Antares, McDSP, IK Multimedia, Native Instruments, Slingerland Drums, Bogen Imaging, and Noise Industries. The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is made possible by an agreement with Yoko Ono Lennon.
Photos by Terry Miller
