About The Thanksgiving Song

Benjamin Evans Rector is an American singer, songwriter and record producer based in Nashville, Tennessee. He has released seven studio albums, including Brand New (2015), which peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200, and Magic (2018), which debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Americana/Folk Albums chart.

Rector was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He took piano lessons as a child, but he did not pursue music until he picked up guitar in high school, which later led him to begin songwriting. He graduated from Tulsa's Metro Christian Academy in 2005 and from the University of Arkansas in 2009, with a degree in business and marketing.

Rector made his television debut performing "Beautiful" on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on October 14, 2013. On April 12, 2016, he performed "Brand New" live on Conan. He made his Live with Kelly and Ryan debut on July 12, 2016, and appeared live on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC on November 24, 2016. He has also performed on Today, Pickler & Ben, the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals (game 6), and Bachelor in Paradise. His songs have appeared on television shows including America's Got Talent, American Idol, Ellen DeGeneres Show, World of Dance, Heartland, Hawaii Five-O, Pretty Little Liars and Castle. "Brand New" was featured in the trailers for Edge of Seventeen and Moana, in a Weight Watchers campaign starring Oprah Winfrey, and on ads for the Olympics and the World Series.