Abbey Road Studios in London, England hosted the Showcase Program for Rick Imus Music Studio as two covers and a student composition were recorded in Studio Two, the space made famous by The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Adele, Oasis, and many others. “This session was 10 years in the making,” said director Rick Imus. “On the heels of our date at Electric Lady Studios in New York, the paper trail got started.”

The Milton students recorded versions of Light My Fire by The Doors, Freeway Jam by Jeff Beck, and an original by student Ethan Moran, titled Teflon Coated. Moran is an Online Live student in New Brunswick.

The musicians were well prepared for the big day: at one point, the session was 40 minutes ahead of schedule, which allowed for a more creative result.

Engineers Brad Sharp and Ryan Prasad, who had previously worked on legacy recording sessions with the Showcase Program in Chicago and New York, flew to London to run the production side. Fellow Canadian engineer Scott Pelling joined the crew, as well.

Calling this, “the trip of a lifetime,” was a common description amoung this group of 22 that travelled from Canada.

In what’s described as Abbey Road’s Secret Room, the moms and friends clapped the interlude section of Freeway Jam. The room is the echo chamber, with deflector pillars, that functioned as a air raid shelter in the Cold War years.

Imus noted the tipping point for initiating the trip was friend of the studio Kevin Hazzard, who was a prime mover in making this event happen. Their music group, EvenSong Band, recorded two originals, which are being released on the streaming services.

Today, the London ukulele joins Road Trip Row along with Greenwich, Nashville/Muscle Shoals, Chicago, Cleveland, and New York instruments signed by travelling participants.