Each and every April, Georgia returns to the minds of sports fans everywhere, who descend upon Augusta National from near and far—physically and virtually—for the annual playing of the Masters. For country singer-songwriter and Valdosta, Ga. native Thomas Rhett, however, his home state never strays far from his thoughts.
So it’s only fitting that Rhett is the voice of ESPN’s new Masters ad campaign, set to debut this week featuring the chasrt-topping star’s smooth-as-whiskey cover of the Hoagy Carmichael-penned, Ray Charles-popularized classic. Take a moment and let the classic tune transport you to the gates of Magnolia Lane.
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“Recording ‘Georgia On My Mind’ was a pretty surreal moment for me,” says Rhett of his cover. “Being from Georgia, sports and music are both just in my blood. Obviously nobody can touch the original, but it meant a lot to me to be asked to honor both the song and tradition of the Masters.”
Georgia isn’t the only thing that hit near and dear for Rhett during the recording of “Georgia on My Mind,” though. Rhett is also a golf nut. He’s a frequent patron at the Masters and is known for squeezing in rounds while on tour. He’s even played in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and tee’d it up at Augusta National, as if his credentials needed any bolstering.
Needless to say, in both spirit and sound, Rhett is perfect accompaniment to this year’s tournament. His cover of “Georgia on My Mind” is the first time the song has ever been released in official conjunction with the Masters, and while Rhett may never don the green jacket, he now has a piece of Masters history to call his own.
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