In 2018 I had the privilege of interviewing President Carter for a documentary about how music shaped his philosophy, his politics, and his view of the world.

Jimmy Carter grew up in the segregated South during the Depression. Racial barriers were strictly enforced. Carter transcended his upbringing in part, he said, because of the spirituals and gospel music he heard from his Black neighbors – and the jazz and swing that came over the family radio.

Racism could not prevail over the humanity in that music. Prejudice could not argue against its genius. And Jimmy Carter could not reconcile discrimination with the message of the gospels.

Jimmy Carter loved musicians, and they loved him. He had decades-long friendships with Gregg Allman, Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson.

When his longshot bid for the presidency was running out of money, the Allman Brothers Band did a benefit concert that not only raised the funds to keep going, but began the unlikely transformation of a Born-Again Christian from the Deep South into the candidate of the rock ‘n’ roll generation.

When he arrived in the White House, President Carter hosted celebrations of American music – country, gospel, classical, and a historic jazz concert that saw the President singing “Salt Peanuts” with Dizzy Gillespie … paying tribute to the great Charles Mingus … and extending the curfew so the avant-garde pianist Cecil Taylor could keep playing.

When the U.S. was establishing formal relations with China, President Carter arranged for the Chinese diplomatic delegation to be serenaded by country music’s biggest stars, from Johnny Cash to Barbara Mandrell.

President Carter heard the same America singing in the Mississippi blues that he heard in a symphony, that he heard in the choir at his Sunday church service.

Jimmy Carter loved the whole range of American music, because Jimmy Carter loved the whole range of Americans.

        
Story produced by Lucie Kirk. Editor: George Pozderec. 

See also: 

From 2006: Jimmy Carter on life after the White House (Video)

From 2018: Jimmy Carter’s journey of faith (Video)

From 2000: Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford, from rivals to friends (Video)