Georgia musicians dominate the country music charts and on May 12, the Peach Pickers have once again assembled a star-studded group of friends for the 2nd Annual “Jameson® Irish Whiskey Presents Georgia On My Mind.” Participating artists include Lauren Alaina, Lee Brice, Craig Campbell, Thomas Rhett, Cole Swindell, Four Wheel Drive (featuring Travis Denning, Jon Langston, Jordan Rager and Cole Taylor), JAMP Masters, Kevin Kinney, and Maggie Rose along with hosts and performers Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson and Ben Hayslip (The Peach Pickers). The concert, to be held at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn., benefits the Georgia Music Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports programs of music preservation, education and outreach. Tickets are $49.50 and $39.50 and available at ryman.com.
As a songwriting collective, The Peach Pickers have generated more than 60 No.1 hits individually and collectively. As hosts of the inaugural sold-out concert last year, the chart-topping songwriters pulled together an A-list of Georgia natives to perform including Jason Aldean & Luke Bryan. Davidson says the evening created an opportunity for the ex-pats to bond and celebrate the Peach State with fans.
“Onstage and backstage, there was such a camaraderie and connection because it was truly about Georgia and how much it means to all of us,” expressed Davidson. “We’ve all been so inspired by our home state and mostly rural communities, but especially by all the musicians from Georgia who came before us.”
As chair of the Georgia Music Foundation, Davidson is committed to preserving his state’s rich music history and supporting music education; the event raised $40,000 last year. After the inaugural concert, he and his board members traveled to Augusta to present a check to the James Brown Academy of Musik Pupils.
“Seeing the JAMP students perform James Brown’s songs as good as any ‘adult band,’ and talking with program founder Deanna Brown-Thomas, who is the daughter of James Brown, was enlightening,” Davidson said.” I got to experience firsthand what an impact music education makes on students’ lives and I realize more than ever how critical it is that these programs be supported, especially by those of us in the music industry.”
With a country music lineage that includes Fiddlin’ John Carson, Gid Tanner & the Skillet Lickers, Brenda Lee, Bill Anderson, Jerry Reed, Pete Drake, Emory Gordy Jr., Gram Parsons? T. Graham Brown,Trisha Yearwood, Doug Stone, John Berry, Daryle Singletary, Doug Stone and current chart-toppers Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and Dave Haywood(Lady Antebellum),Tyler Hubbard(Florida Georgia Line), Cole Swindell, Craig Campbell, Billy Currington, Brantley Gilbert, Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman (Little Big Town), Kip Moore, Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles (Sugarland), Colt Ford, Zac Brown Band, Georgia stays on the minds of country music fans all over the world.
“The number of Georgia-grown singers, songwriters and producers who have significantly impacted country music is astounding,” says Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Chris Carr. “We applaud the Peach Pickers’ efforts to celebrate Georgia’s influence, promote their home state to visitors and strengthen the growing relationship between Georgia and Nashville’s music industries.”
Jameson® Irish Whiskey, the presenting partner of “Georgia On My Mind” for the second year in a row, also recognizes the value in bringing together such successful artists on behalf of a good cause. The Jameson Neighborhood Fund raises money for local charities that provide education and resources to the local bartender, musician and craft communities in order to keep the spirit of the neighborhood alive and well. Through the Jameson Neighborhood Fund, all proceeds for “Georgia On My Mind” will benefit the Georgia Music Foundation.
“Music is such an important part of culture; it brings people together and is one of the elements that defines a neighborhood,” said Sona Bajaria, Brand Director, Jameson, Pernod Ricard USA. “As a fellow member of local neighborhoods, Jameson is committed to keeping the spirit of the neighborhood and the music alive through The Jameson Neighborhood Fund.”
For more information on the event and event partners, visit:
PeachPickers.com
Jameson.com
GeorgiaMusicFoundation.org
Georgia.org
About GDEcD
The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state’s sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a destination for arts events and location for film, music and digital entertainment projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development.
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