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How Jimmy Carter became known as the 'Rock & Roll President'

Carter's ascension from salt-of-the-earth peanut farmer to rock star favorite is the subject of the documentary film, "Jimmy Carter: Rock and Roll President."
Jimmy Carter, Willie Nelson
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One lesser-known aspect of former President Jimmy Carter's legacy was his status as a folk hero among influential musicians, such as Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Greg Allman.

Carter even credited the Allman Brothers for helping him get elected in 1976 as they appealed to young voters who were disillusioned by government following Watergate.

Carter's ascension from salt-of-the-earth peanut farmer to rock star favorite is the subject of the documentary film, "Jimmy Carter, Rock and Roll President."

"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. And the Allman Brothers spoke to that audience," said Mary Wharton, director of the film.

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Carter often welcomed different musicians to the White House to showcase their talents and to build connections and dialog.

"One of the things that have held America together has been the music that we share and love," Carter said in the documentary.

According to Wharton, it was Carter's poetic nature and deep appreciation for music that helped him foster relationships with musicians.

"He also genuinely enjoyed and loved those musicians and the music that they made. And so it was a real thing for him," she said . "It wasn't a political calculation to be associated with rock and roll. He actually really loved it. And that was what was so cool about kind of digging into that relationship."

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Wharton also discussed how Carter connected with music through his life.

"Music is the language of talking to spirit. And Jimmy Carter was a very spiritual man. So it makes all kinds of sense to me that that was a language that he understood," she said.