ANAHEIM, Calif., Jan. 18, 2011 -- The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, a non-profit state of the art mobile recording studio and HD production facility, and Avid, the maker of award-winning video and audio production solutions used by professional filmmakers, producers, sound mixers and musicians, have announced a new partnership at NAMM 2011. The 2011 Lennon Bus studios feature a new arsenal of Avid's top of the line solutions including Pro-Tools and Media Composer. "The Lennon Bus provides an amazing opportunity to help students realize their dreams, while introducing them to the same tools professionals use to create the most successful music, video and film projects in the world," said Avid's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, Ron Greenberg. The announcement came at the kick-off event of NAMM 2011 hosted by the Lennon Bus on January 13th.  The annual event, now a staple of the NAMM show, showcased the work of the non-profit mobile studio that has traveled the U.S. and Canada for 14 years providing young people with free hands-on opportunities to create original music and video projects.  

The kick-off program featured a performance by Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Natasha Bedingfield as well as remarks from Governor Mike Huckabee and former New York Yankee Bernie Williams. The Lennon Bus also received the starCON award from long time sponsor,Neutrik, the leading provider of professional entertainment connector systems. The Neutrik starCON award was created to recognize persons, organizations, and companies who are making a contribution to the music/recording/performing arts industries and those that it serves. The event closed with a presentation to John Lennon Songwriting Contest "Song of the Year" winner Madison Violet, who was presented with a $20,000 prize check. The Lennon Bus was open for public tours throughout NAMM 2011.

The Bus, a 501(c)(3) venture, is made possible through the generosity of sponsors including Apple, Avid, Mont Blanc, NAMM, SAE Institute, Gibson, Epiphone, Neutrik, Sony, Audio-Technica, Sonicbids, Musician's Friend, Music Player Network, Sonicbids, Litepanels, Reflecmedia, Disc Makers, Mobile Roadie, Ampeg, Roland, Boss, Mackie, Digital Media Academy, Aphex Systems, Apogee, Manfrotto Distribution, iZotope, Glyph Technologies, Harris Corporation,  Applied Acoustics Systems, Antares, McDSP, IK Multimedia, Adobe, Native Instruments, Slingerland Drums, Noise Industries, and Mad Mimi.

SOURCE The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus