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October 9, 2020
John Lennon Songwriting Contest (JLSC):
Tune-in To Watch Lennon Bus Virtual Imagine Party On IG Live Today With Verdine White, RZA, George Clinton, Elle King, Ricki Lake, DJ Tommie Sunshine and More
NEW YORK, NY (October 9, 2020) Today, October 9, 2020 would have been John Lennon’s 80th birthday. His contributions to  music, culture, activism, social justice, art, and fashion resonate to this day. In celebration, the Lennon Bus and Contest is having a virtual Imagine Party featuring music and interviews with celebrated and artists including Verdine White, RZA, George Clinton, Elle King, Ricki Lake, DJ Tommie Sunshine, rock photographer Bob Gruen, and more via the Lennon Bus Instagram Live, today (HERE).
For the event, John Lennon Educational Tour Bus and the John Lennon Songwriting Contest (JLSC) have partnered with Gibson Gives–the iconic American instrument brand’s charitable arm–to support musicianship, music education and songwriting for people of all ages. Among the initiatives, 24 Lennon contest winners will receive an Epiphone LTD Edition Les Paul Quilt Top Pro and an Epiphone Zenith Masterbilt Acoustic Round Hole. Songwriters, artists, and bands are encouraged to enter the 24th annual JLSC with over $300,000k in cash awards and giveaways. All entrants will also qualify for weekly contests, offering additional gear giveaways, including a Gibson guitar.
Brian Rothschild, co-founder and executive director of both the Lennon Bus and the JLSC, said, “While venues, live music and events are on hold, we’re focused on the songwriting contests and providing songwriters with even more gear each week while they are stuck at home. Contest entries help support Lennon Bus programs and Gibson Gives shares the same commitment to the next generation of players.”
“Gibson Gives is all about inspiring, creating, and supporting music one guitar at a time,” says James ‘JC’ Curleigh, President and CEO of Gibson. “This is our opportunity to ‘imagine’ what could be possible for future musicians by partnering with the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, especially during this challenging era.”
Tune-in to watch the Lennon Bus Virtual Imagine Party on IG Live today featuring Verdine White, RZA, George Clinton, Elle King, Ricki Lake, DJ Tommie Sunshine and more: (HERE).
The Lennon Bus IG Live Virtual Imagine Party:
  • 2:00pm- DJ Tommie Sunshine: Lennon Spotify playlist: HERE
  • 2:15pm- Fernando Pullum Students
  • 2:30pm- Verdine White – GIVEAWAY
  • 2:45pm- (Gaby Moreno – tentative)
  • BREAK
  • 3:00pm- Zach Matari – GIVEAWAY
  • 3:15pm- Bob Gruen
  • 3:30pm- 3:45pm- RZA – GIVEAWAY
  • BREAK
  • 4:00pm- Ricki Lake – GIVEAWAY
  • 4:15pm- Grace Kelly
  • 4:30pm- George Clinton – GIVEAWAY
  • 4:45pm- DJ Tommie Sunshine
 John Lennon Songwriting Contest and John Lennon Educational Tour Bus:
Gibson Gives:
Gibson:
Epiphone:
About John Lennon Songwriting Contest:
In honor of John Lennon, The John Lennon Songwriting Contest is an international songwriting contest that began in 1997 to give songwriters an opportunity to express themselves, gain recognition, and get their music heard. The JLSC is made possible by Yoko Ono Lennon and supportive sponsors including Gibson.
About John Lennon Educational Tour Bus:
The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is the premiere 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 23nd year of touring, the Lennon Bus features the latest audio and video technology, gear and products. The Lennon 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. Lennon Bus Europe began providing these same opportunities to the young people of Europe when it launched in Liverpool, UK, May 2013.
About Epiphone:
For over 140 years, Epiphone has been a leading innovator in instrument design with models like the Casino, the Texan, and Masterbilt Century Archtop Collection. Epiphone began as the “House of Stathopoulo” family business in Sparta in the 1870s and rose to fame during the jazz age in Manhattan before joining Gibson Brands in 1957. Today, Epiphone continues to make history from its headquarters in Nashville, TN. Epiphones have powered classic recordings by The Beatles, Les Paul and The Rolling Stones along with today’s top artists like Peter Frampton, Gary Clark Jr., Tommy Thayer of KISS, and Lzzy Hale. Epiphone offers innovation, history, and a lifetime guarantee. At Epiphone we’re designers, players, mavericks, and we’re passionate about everything we do. Check us out at Epiphone.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
About Gibson:
Gibson Brands, the world’s most iconic guitar brand, has shaped the sounds of generations of musicians and music lovers across genres for more than 100 years. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Nashville, TN, with a premiere acoustic facility in Bozeman, MT, Gibson Brands has a legacy of world-class craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships, and progressive product evolution that is unrivaled among musical instrument companies. The Gibson Brands portfolio includes Gibson, the number one guitar brand, as well as many of the most beloved and recognizable music brands, including Epiphone, Kramer, Steinberger, and the Gibson Pro Audio Division, KRK Systems. Gibson Brands is dedicated to quality, innovation, and sound excellence so that music lovers for generations to come will continue to experience music shaped by Gibson Brands. Learn more at Gibson.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Gibson TV, and Instagram.
About Gibson Gives:
The Gibson Gives | Gibson Foundation is a 501(c)(3) committed to introduce, inspire, and amplify the power of music through guitars across all generations and genres. For over 126 years, Gibson has been shaping, contributing, and supporting sound through their guitars. Gibson realized early on that getting instruments into the hands of those with a desire to make music is a truly life-changing event. Gibson Gives (Gibson Foundation) has since provided thousands of guitars and related value-in-kind in excess of $30 million. In 2019, Gibson Gives committed to donating 1,000 guitars over the next 1000 days and is ahead, having donated 160 guitars in just four months. Gibson Gives played a lead role in supporting the ‘Do it for the Love’ Foundation, outfitted Gallatin High School in Bozeman, MT and Maplewood High School in Nashville, TN with multiple acoustic and electric guitars for their music departments—through Gibson Gives partner Give A Note –and played it forward donating 48 guitars and 19,000 string sets to Guitars For Vets to bring the power of music to returning U.S. military veterans with PTSD. Gibson Gives is off to a solid start in 2020 with 100% of all donations to and from Gibson Gives going towards giving the gift of music. The mission of Gibson Gives is to make music matter to more people in more ways…one guitar at a time! For more information, visit: www.gibsongives.org.