Admiration and pure joy were the order of the night as musicians across genres and styles came together at the Fox Theatre on Tuesday to celebrate the upcoming 100th birthday of humanitarian, Nobel Peace Prize winner and former President Jimmy Carter.
With proceeds from “Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song” set to benefit the Carter Center’s peace, health and freedom initiatives, the festivities stayed true to the giving spirit and humanity of Carter and his late wife Rosalynn Carter, both natives of Plains. Tributes between performances, both live and on video, made clear just how revered Carter is, as much for his post-presidential activity as the years he spent as Georgia governor and then president.
Carter’s love of music is renowned, and his friendships with many musicians, including pianist, Georgia farmer and featured performer Chuck Leavell, have spanned decades. Concertgoers heard from a variety of artists as eclectic as the former president’s own tastes.
Some admirers from outside music were also on hand to celebrate Carter, with speakers that included King Center CEO Revered Bernice King, Atlanta Braves legends Dale Murphy and Terry Pendleton, actor Renée Zellweger and Atlanta broadcaster and journalist Monica Pearson.
After a rousing version of “America the Beautiful” by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus, Carter’s grandson and former state senator Jason Carter greeted attendees with the words, “I want to welcome you to my grandfather’s 100th birthday party!” Acknowledging that the elder Carter wished he could be there and noting the cameras around the theater, Jason Carter announced that Georgia Public Broadcasting would air the concert on Oct. 1, Jimmy Carter’s birthday.
Filmmaker Mary Wharton showed clips from her documentary “Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President,” leading into Atlanta-based Grouplove’s energetic performance of its hit “Tongue Tied” and a cover of U2′s “Pride,” with Christian Zucconi and Hannah Hooper trading verses. Rapper D-Nice got the crowd dancing with a short DJ set that featured everyone from Stevie Wonder to Sly and the Family Stone.
Credit: Rick Diamond/The Carter Center
Credit: Rick Diamond/The Carter Center
The music of the Allman Brothers Band was a theme throughout, appropriate given Carter’s friendship with the group and their concerts benefitting his first presidential bid. Leavell, a member of the group in that era, called Carter “one of the finest human beings to walk this planet.” The pianist teamed up with Duane Betts, son of the late Allman Brothers Band member Dickey Betts, to perform group classics “Blue Sky” and “Jessica,” which brought an ovation. Near the end of the event, country rocker Eric Church teamed up with Leavell to play “Midnight Rider” and “Ramblin’ Man,” both Carter favorites.
President Joe Biden recorded a tribute video standing in front of Jimmy Carter’s portrait in the White House, which drew significant applause as it played. All but one of the living former presidents also contributed videos, with Bill Clinton praising Carter’s leadership in the Camp David Accords process and his environmental record, noting he was and is “guided by his faith.”
In other videos, actor Lynda Carter saluted her “long lost cousin,” and the Indigo Girls sang “Happy Birthday to You” to Carter. Jon Stewart’s submission marveled at the fact that “there are people in this world who live in houses built by Jimmy Carter” — a nod to his extended commitment to Habitat for Humanity. And Zellweger was on hand to tell the love story of Jimmy and Rosalynn’s 77-year marriage, which drew steady cheers from the crowd.
Lalah Hathaway and husband and wife duo the War and Treaty played rousing sets, with Michael Trotter of the War and Treaty highlighting that he and Carter are both military veterans, calling him “our forever president.”
Betts and Leavell joined Carlene Carter, daughter of music legends Carl Smith and June Carter Cash, in a singalong of the Carter Family standard “Will the Circle be Unbroken,” which drew plenty of audience participation.
Rev. Bernice King spoke at length about the King and Carter family connections, including Carter’s role in making Atlanta’s King sites national landmarks. Atlanta Brave greats Dale Murphy and Terry Pendleton highlighted Carter’s affinity for the Braves and close friendship with Henry Aaron before presenting the Carter family with a #100 Braves jersey as a birthday present for Jimmy.
Credit: Rick Diamond/The Carter Center
Credit: Rick Diamond/The Carter Center
Benin singer and actor Angélique Kidjo told the crowd about her performance for Carter at his Nobel Peace Prize ceremony and noted that he was the first sitting U.S. president to visit sub-Saharan Africa. Kidjo danced her way across the stage during a stirring rendition of “Mama Africa” and later introduced gospel music legend BeBe Winans for his collaboration with the Spelman College Glee Club.
Monica Pearson, host of the AJC podcast “The Monica Pearson Show,” noted how many events involving Carter she’d covered over the years, describing his personal kindnesses and celebrating that “he’s never showboating, always working.”
Credit: Michael A. Schwarz/The Carter Center
Credit: Michael A. Schwarz/The Carter Center
Athens-based band Drive-By Truckers played “The Righteous Path,” with singer-guitarist Patterson Hood adding emphatically between songs that Carter “was way ahead of his time.” Leavell joined them for a cover of the ‘70s song “Keep On Smilin’,” and the B-52s continued the Athens run by playing two of their best-loved songs, “Love Shack” and “Rock Lobster.” Through tears, singer Cindy Wilson expressed her admiration for Carter, with a supportive crowd on its feet throughout the band’s performance.
Atlanta artist India Arie played a spectacular set, asking the concertgoers earnestly to listen to each word as she sang them. Her 2019 song “What If” includes references to Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and other civil rights heroes, and her performance of it received a rousing ovation. The acoustic guitar-driven “The One” was also perfect for the occasion, with Arie wrapping up by declaring Carter “an inspiration to all of us.”
Credit: Rick Diamond/The Carter Center
Credit: Rick Diamond/The Carter Center
After Church’s Allman Brothers Band tribute, the War and Treaty delivered a soulful, heartfelt version of “Georgia on My Mind.” The duo was joined first by the two choirs and then by all of the evening’s performers lined up across the stage, with Leavell and Arie also singing verses and the Rickey Minor Band bringing the music to a perfect close.
Jason Carter returned to send attendees home with the acknowledgment the night had “exceeded all of my expectations” and a note that the Carter Center would proudly continue to do the work championed by Jimmy and Rosalynn.
Indeed, “Jimmy Carter 100″ was a beautifully rendered tribute to a son of Georgia as comfortable teaching Sunday school and hanging out with the Allman Brothers Band as he was occupying the White House.
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