No one was willing to sing the national anthem, so one high schooler took off his helmet and grabbed a guitar

There are very few things that get the blood flowing quite like a passionate rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner.

Just ask anyone who watched the performance of Jackson Dean Nicholson, a senior defensive end at Arundel High School, Maryland, a few years ago.

We’re not talking about his in-game performance, mind, but rather his pre-game delivery of the national anthem. It not only wowed the home crowd, but has also wowing thousands of internet denizens over the years to boot.

As per reports, Nicholson was left with a decision to make after realizing that there was no one else prepared to sing the national anthem prior to his school’s game. Of course, he could have let the school play a recording over the loud speakers, or alternatively let the crowd belt out the tune themselves.

Nicholson, it would seem, is cut from a different cloth though. Prior to the start of the match, the high schooler stood alone in the middle of the pitch, armed only with an acoustic guitar and a microphone.

He promptly gave one of the best versions of the U.S. national anthem we’ve ever heard, so it’s no surprise that the video has turned out to be a viral hit that has returned to popularity time and time again.

The video was first uploaded back in 2018, and the fact that it’s still equally relevant and equally impressive now is testament to just how well Nicholson can sing.

“It was very cool. I probably knew 90 percent of the people sitting in those stands, and they had no idea I was doing it ‘til I brought my guitar out,” Nicholson explained to the Baltimore Sun at the time.

Watch the breathtaking performance below:

Whilst he might have been kitted out as a senior defensive end for his five minutes of fame, it’s music that’s Nicholson’s true passion in life. He’s been writing and singing songs since he was a freshman, and was working on his own album around the same time he went viral.

Given that there’s already a pretty famous guy named Jack Nicholson, he wisely adopted the stage name Jackson Dean.

Speaking on his football career, Jackson said back in 2018: “This is my last year, then I’m done. I’ve got until January, I’ll have all my credits done, and I only have to be enrolled for this semester. I got a waiver by my principal and she’s very supportive of what I do.

“I’m going to go for it.”

Best of luck, Jackson!

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