Grateful Dead’s Mickey Hart Connects Music & Sports in New ESPN Film ‘Rhythm Masters’: Watch the Trailer

Music and sports have always been interconnected, and ESPN is diving into the bridge between the two in the upcoming film Rhythm Masters: A Mickey Hart Experience.

Hart, the beloved Grateful Dead and Dead & Company drummer, will take viewers on a “sonic journey as he creates an original score inspired by conversations with legendary and iconic voices from the world of sports,” according to the film’s synopsis. “His breath-taking score combined with insight from athletes helps show the depths of the universal rhythm found in music, sports, and life.”

The athletes set to be featured in the film include Phil Jackson, Joe Montana, Laila Ali, Ronnie Lott, Marshawn Lynch, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Sheryl Swoopes, Ozzie Smith, Mario Andretti, Jack Nicklaus, Mike Piazza, Mark Messier, Alex Honnold, Mikaela Shiffrin, Rush Sturges, Alessia Zecchini, Bob Cousy and the late Bill Walton, a noted Deadhead and a world-class basketball star and NBA coach. In a trailer for the film, premiering on Billboard below, Hart is heard saying: “He who knows the rhythm, knows the world.”

“Rhythm is the heartbeat of life, and it’s everywhere — in the music we create and the sports we love. When I set out to make Rhythm Masters: A Mickey Hart Experience, my goal was to explore this universal pulse and celebrate how music and sports are deeply intertwined,” the rocker shared in a statement. “Through the voices and stories of some of the greatest athletes, we uncover the profound connection that rhythm brings to their performance and passion. This film is a journey into that shared human experience, a testament to the power of rhythm in uniting us all. We dedicate this film to Bill Walton, whose own rhythmic journey in sports and life has been a true inspiration.” 

Rhythm Masters: A Mickey Hart Experience is directed by Torey Champagne and produced by ESPN Films, Bluefoot Entertainment and Fresh Features. The film will premiere on ESPN and ESPN+ on August 14. Watch the trailer below.