Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song

Jimmy Carter 100 — A Celebration in Song, The Fox Theatre — The 100th birthday celebration for Jimmy Carter, the man From Plains, GA, takes place, whether President Carter, who has been in hospice for over a year, attends or not. Elected Georgia’s 76th governor and then the 39th president of the United States, Carter is the oldest living former U.S. president and the longest-lived president in U.S. history. Initially, musical guests included Chuck Leavell, D-Nice, Drive-By Truckers, Eric Church, Grouplove, Maren Morris, The War and Treaty, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus, along with appearances by Dale Murphy, Killer Mike, and Sean Penn. Since that first announcement, a number of other musicians have join the party, including The B-52’s, Angélique Kidjo, BeBe Winans, Carlene Carter, Duane Betts, india.arie, and Lalah Hathaway.

Carter’s close association with rock ’n’ roll goes back to his early days as governor when he had the support of the Allman Bothers Band, promoter Peter Conlon, and Rick Diamond, rock photographer. Carter’s music connection was best explored in Mary Wharton’s 2020 documentary, “Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President,” a film that captures in detail the symbiotic relationship between the president and the music genre. While many of those interviewed for the doc will not perform, Wharton will be on hand presenting “a short film that explores President Carter’s personal relationship with popular musicians and highlights how music plays a role in breaking down barriers.” — Tony Paris