Dear Reader
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One of the things we have been most excited about since returning from London is seeing the photos from our day at Abbey Road Studios.

A few weeks ago, hundreds of photographs finally arrived in our inbox.

We've spent some time sorting through them and reliving the day, and we're excited to finally begin sharing a few of our favorites.

While we're busy preparing for the next phase of the project in Nashville, we thought it might be fun to occasionally bring you along through a series we're calling...

Postcards from Abbey Road

Little stories and moments from our day with the London Symphony Orchestra—captured through the lens of photographer Ben Ealovega, who came highly recommended by Abbey Road Studios.

Having someone document the day was especially valuable, since opportunities to photograph inside the studio are more limited than you might imagine. After all, most people never get beyond the front door of Abbey Road unless they're there to make music.

Besides, we took very few pictures on recording day because we wanted to fully absorb the experience rather than view it through a screen.

As we've been revisiting the photos, we've been reminded that some of the most memorable moments happened between the music—small conversations, unexpected encounters, and stories we never anticipated we'd bring home with us.

Here's this week's postcard...

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The Faces and Stories Behind the Music

Abbey Road Sound Engineer, Andrew Dudman

Andrew Dudman was one of the sound engineers on The Fellowship of the Ring.

When Frances learned that he would be our Abbey Road engineer for the day, she was ecstatic.

Hoping he might be approachable, she tucked her DVD insert into her suitcase before leaving for London. She thought perhaps, if the right moment presented itself, she might ask for an autograph.

As it turned out, Andrew was incredibly friendly and down-to-earth.

So, armed with the Sharpie Kirstin had purchased at the Abbey Road gift shop the day before, she decided to seize the opportunity.

Frances relays the rest of her story:​
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"Would you autograph this for me?" I asked.

With a grin as wide as the London sky, he immediately replied, "YES!"

Then, glancing at the DVD insert, he laughed.

"THAT was over 25 years ago!"

He seemed genuinely delighted that someone would bring up a project from so long ago.

Feeling welcomed, I shared a memory of seeing The Fellowship of the Ring in the theater with my husband. Our plan had been to go to dinner afterward at our favorite restaurant.

What we hadn't planned on was how deeply the movie would affect us.

When the credits rolled, we just sat there.

Stunned.

By the time we finally made it to the restaurant, we'd lost our appetites entirely. We couldn't decide what to order, and our confusion was so obvious that we eventually explained to our server:

"We just came from seeing The Fellowship of the Ring and we're still trying to process it."

Andrew listened intently, then began sharing a few stories of his own from behind the scenes of the film.

Assuming he'd sign the insert right away, I waited.

And waited.

Later, worried we'd lose track of Kirstin's Abbey Road Sharpie, I cautiously returned to the control room.

"Just checking on the marker..." I said.

Without missing a beat, Andrew looked up and replied in his wonderful British accent:

"I'm practicing my signature."

The autographed insert now lives safely in my journal.

And yes, he chose a very specific place to sign it.

I won't tell you why.

Classified Middle-earth intelligence 😉
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Left Image: A view of the Studio One control room at Abbey Road. This is their largest studio that can accomodate a large orchestra and chorus. When the LSO records at Abbey Road this is the room they utilize.
​Right Image: A view of Dudman on the left with Producer of the Day, Kent Hooper, whose role is Sound Engineer in our Nashville sessions.
📸 Ben Ealovega

📬 Postcard #2 delivered to your inbox next week! In the meantime...

Fundraising Progress - 91%!

With less than $14,000 to raise, we are on our way to an amazing album release later this year! Help us complete this journey which, in turn, helps our charitable partner MSFitEffect!
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Did You Know?

Anyone can explore our Newsletter Hub to read previous editions of our e-newsletter and get caught up on all the adventures, insights, and milestones along the way:
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Newsletter Hub

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Upcoming Performances
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We're keeping a light schedule for a reason 😉
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Take care of yourself Reader - until next time,

Kirstin & Frances

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