A devout Christian, a progressive southerner, and a fervent disciple of rock ‘n’ roll, Jimmy Carter assembled one of the strangest voting coalitions in American history and brought a new kind of swagger to the White House. His 100th birthday on October 1st will be celebrated by many, and whatever you think of his single-term presidency and Nobel Peace Prize-winning charitable work, hitting the centennial mark is a chance to trumpet one of his most enduring legacies: a lifetime of loving music.
Time and again he wove music into his own formidable ambitions, boosting Black jazz artists while courting Black voters and citing rock lyrics as part of his get out the vote efforts. But it wasn’t mere pandering, like modern-day senators competing to see who can make the worst Taylor Swift reference. As the Governor of Georgia in 1974, Carter just about lost his mind meeting one of his heroes, Bob Dylan. “When I first met Jimmy, the first thing he did was quote my songs back to me,” Dylan recalled in the 2020 documentary Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President. “It was the first time I realized my songs had reached into the mainstream. It made me a little uneasy. But he put my mind at ease by showing me he had a sincere appreciation of the songs I had written. He was a kindred spirit.” The two remained close friends long after Carter’s political career ended.
Carter also counted Willie Nelson among his nearest companions, palled around with the Allman Brothers, and earned the admiration of the likes of Paul Simon, Johnny Cash, Nile Rodgers, Bono, and more. Carter was not, as he sometimes portrayed himself, a simple peanut farmer, but he moved easily among the great artists of his day — a driven man with a genuine love of rock ‘n’ roll. Along the way, he pioneered a different kind of political campaign, opened the door for new illicit substances to be imbibed in the White House, and left an indelible mark on the broader pop culture.
— Wren Graves
01. “The Hippest Governor’s Mansion Ever” (1971-75)
The story goes that when Gregg Allman visited Jimmy Carter’s governor mansion in Georgia before his presidential run, he opened the door to find Carter “barefoot and in jeans.” If that isn’t cool enough for you, it’s worth noting that The Band’s Robbie Robertson also named Carter’s gubernatorial residence, “The hippest governor’s mansion ever.” It feels commonplace now to envision politicians rubbing shoulders with rockstars, but Carter’s insistence on building relationships with the biggest artists of the era — including Bob Dylan, whom he began a close friendship with in the 1970s — was pretty unique at the time. We’ll never know exactly what went down at Carter’s infamous post-concert afterparties, but sometimes it’s good to leave these things up to the imagination. — Paolo Ragusa
02. Campaigning with The Allman Brothers (1975)
When Carter was first vying for the Democratic presidential nomination, he was seen as long shot. Several politicians with bigger profiles were also gunning for the White House, but none of them had a friend like Gregg Allman. Throughout his campaign, The Allman Brothers were vocal advocates of Carter, hosting benefit concerts to raise funds for the dark horse in the race. Such shows raised tens of thousands of dollars, which Carter would then double thanks to legislation at the time allowing public donations to be matched by government money. The Allman Brothers were instrumental in Carter’s success – and he knew it, laying it out plain and simple when he thanked them: “The Allman Brothers just about put me in the White House.” – Jonah Krueger
03. Speech at Record Store Owners Convention (1975)
Nowadays, it’s not exactly novel for politicians to quote a line from chart-topping songs, but back when then-Governor Carter was campaigning for the White House, it was a risky move. The rock ‘n’ roll scare of the ’60s and early ’70s hadn’t yet worn off, and aligning with the rockers meant risking being associated with drugs, free love, and the type of rebellion politicians tended to avoid. And yet, during a campaign stop at a convention for record store owners, Carter sang rock’s praises, quoting “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Yesterday” as he did so, according to Rolling Stone. Such nonchalant boasting of his (at the time) relevant musical knowledge helped him gain footing with younger voters, and it’s what ultimately led to his unofficial nickname as the rock ‘n’ roll president. – J. Krueger
04. Accepting the Presidential Nomination with a Bob Dylan Quote (1976)
At the 1976 Democratic National Convention, following a combative primary that saw Jimmy Carter rise from 2% name recognition to the top of the polls, he gave an acceptance speech that name-checked FDR, JFK, and… Bob Dylan. “I have never had more faith in America than I do today,” said Carter. “We have an America that, in Bob Dylan’s phrase, is busy being born, not busy dying.” The quote referenced Bob Dylan’s 1965 track “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding),” but it’s also a terrific example of Carter finding inspiration in Dylan’s uniquely American poetry. Carter wanted his supporters to feel proud, energized, motivated, and that the best was yet to come — all while acknowledging the tumultuous history of this country and envisioning a new cultural identity for Americans. It’s safe to say that Dylan approved of his message. — P. Ragusa