Jimmy Carter wasn’t known as the “Rock ‘n’ Roll President” for nothing. He embraced popular music like few other presidents before him, forging a connection with a whole new generation with young voters as well as opening him up to the world of musicians themselves.
Carter counted a number of country music legends as his personal friends: Acts like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson all endorsed Carter’s presidential ambitions and spent time with him on a personal level.
Rumor has it, Nelson even once smoked a joint on the White House roof!
Although Carter was a Democrat, he garnered bipartisan support from country artists on all sides of the aisle. Even acts like Skynyrd and Charlie Daniels, who are often associated with a more politically conservative stance, threw their weight behind this candidate.
Country stars have also lent their musical talents to Carter’s presidential candidacies, performing at campaign fundraisers and even making special trips to showcase country music at the White House itself.
Read on for a list of singers who’ performed for Carter, whether that was during his presidency or in support of his election.
Most of these country artists rubbed elbows with Carter during the ’70s, when he was in the White House, but two continued to work with the former president during his post-presidency humanitarian efforts with Habitat for Humanity.
13 Country Stars Who Sang for Jimmy Carter or Visited Him at the White House
Jimmy Carter wasn’t known was the “Rock ‘n’ Roll President” for nothing: He embraced popular music like few other U.S. presidents have done, and that connection opened him up to a whole generation of young voters. But Carter’s love for music — and specifically, his love of country music — was more than just a political move. He embraced the genre throughout his life, and it loved him right back. Here are a list of country stars who performed at Jimmy Carter’s White House or at major campaign events in support of him.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
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