Jimmy Carter was the Rock ‘n’ Roll President
Remembering the man and his deep love for music
Jimmy Carter was famously called “The Rock & Roll President,” a handle that inspired a documentary that detailed his enduring love of music and his close relationships with the artists that created it.
In a sense, however, that title is a bit of a misnomer. Carter’s connection to music went way beyond rock ‘n’ roll. A son of the South, the sounds that initially inspired him were gospel, blues and the field songs that provided motivation and inspiration to those that toiled in the rural environs of his youth.
So, too, Carter was far more humble and approachable than any rock stars he could have emulated. It was that unassuming attitude that helped bridge a bond with Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Buffett, Bono, Rosanne Cash, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Paul Simon and any number of other artists who considered him a kindred spirit.
Several scenarios illustrate that point. Nelson famously tells a story about how he visited his pal Jimmy in the White House and smoked a joint on the White House roof with the president’s daughter Amy. Carter recalled that on first meeting Dylan, he was asked about his deep religious faith and devotion to Christianity, and yet, he was surprised at how shy and withdrawn Dylan appeared to be.
Carter maintained connections with musicians of varied status and description, relationships based not on judgement or star status, but rather Carter’s authentic humanity and humility. Those were the qualities that were able to break down the barriers that might normally have distanced the man holding the most important position in the world from artists he admired.
Carter would later use his personality and prestige to further the good work he did after leaving the White House. He visited the Grand Ole Opry on several occasions as a fan, meeting and mingling with such superstars as Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and, of course, Willie as well. He was welcomed as a kindred spirit, and, as the numerous photo ops show, the smiles on the faces of those involved reflected just how much love and admiration the entertainers had for the man they simply referred to as “Jimmy.” On his final visit to the Opry, he called on the generosity of all concerned by working out a partnership with his beloved pursuit of Habitat for Humanity. A number of Opry artists volunteered to travel to the places where Habitat was building homes and perform for those that volunteered their time and labors for the Habitat cause.
It was fitting then, that when the Opry learned of Carter’s passing, they dedicated their broadcast to the man considered both a fan and a friend.
Carter’s relationship with his musical heroes first began to flourish as he began to pursue politics. His fellow Georgians, The Allman Brothers Band, endorsed and entertained at his rallies during Carter’s first run for the presidency. It was an unprecedented show of support from a rock and roll band, given that those kind of alliances were rarely demonstrated at such a high scale. Many musicians previously avoided the appearance of showing approval for a candidate of any stripe. It grew out of Carter’s friendship with Phil Walden, the Allmans’ manager and the head of their Capricorn Records label, which the two men had cultivated in the early ‘70s. That made that partnering all the more plausible. It also served the Allmans well, providing an opportunity to not only crusade for a cause, but to also find their way into the musical mainstream that had eluded them before.
“Carter was one of the first presidential elections where 18-year-olds were able to vote and the young people’s vote was very important and influential in his election,” Mary Wharton, director of the Jimmy Carter, Rock & Roll President documentary, insisted. “And the Allman Brothers spoke to that audience.”
Indeed, those young people who had been disillusioned by Watergate found new hope on the horizon given Carter’s solid relationships with those artists they considered heartland heroes.
The Allmans were credited with turning the tide in Carter’s favor. His campaign had run short of funds early on and with his name recognition lacking as well, the Allmans’ support played a crucial role in helping him win the race. Ironically, Carter’s initial meeting with Gregg Allman was a decidedly awkward affair. As governor of Georgia, he had invited the group to the governor’s mansion for a 1974 post-concert reception for Bob Dylan. Yet, by the time Gregg arrived, the other guests had already left. By that time, the governor had shed his formalwear and opted to dress down. Allman caught Carter standing on the porch, sans shirt and shoes and wearing only a worn and ragged pair of jeans.
According to Kai Bird’s book The Outlier: The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter, Allman first thought was “Who’s this bum they’re letting hang out at the governor’s mansion?’” The two shared some scotch, and that’s when Carter told his guest, “Gregory — can I call you Gregory? — I’m going to be President.”
Naturally then, during Carter’s presidential term, any number of artists were invited to the White House in order to perform. They included Willie Nelson (natch), Dolly Parton, The Commodores, and such jazz greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock and Max Roach. Clearly, Carter’s musical tastes extended well beyond any boundaries, reflecting the fact that his appeal also had no regard for any political preferences. Even the most conservative country artists — Charlie Daniels being among the most staunch in that regard — enjoyed his company. Those relationships broke down barriers in pursuit of a common cultural connection.
That was evident in the accolades Carter was accorded over the years. Bono, who hailed him as a man of faith dedicated to preserving world peace, remarked “This was the first world leader I ever heard who knew the words to all the songs that were my generation’s telegraph.”
When Paul Simon was invited to Carter’s presidential inauguration, he told his audience, “I’d like to dedicate this song to Jimmy Carter in the hope that perhaps a time of righteousness and dignity may now be upon us.: He then launched into “American Tune,” a song he wrote while reflecting on the despair and disappointment that accompanied the wake of Watergate.
Carter shared any number of light-hearted moments as well. When Johnny and June Carter Cash visited the White House, Carter claimed that June was his cousin, due to her maiden name.
Self-effacing to a fault, Carter’s authenticity tempered those ties with those musicians he admired and reaped rewards for all.
VIDEO: Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President trailer
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