We’ve long been taught to believe the presidency of Jimmy Carter was a failure. Some even blindly accept that the man from Plains was a nice enough guy, but not cut out for the nation’s top job. Well, after these past four dreadful, nightmarish years, it’s hard to watch Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President and come away without thinking that's all bunk.
The documentary, with its Mount Rushmore of iconic musicians backing its claims, focuses on Carter’s charms and character, and depicts his embrace of the arts as a virtue, not a weakness. Carter tried to make a difference in the ’70s South — fresh off the civil rights movement, the region was still plagued by KKK rallies being held in plain sight, and racial reconciliation was only just beginning. A man of devout faith and deep empathy, Carter’s anti-racist beliefs and ability to bring people together through his genial nature helped him carve out a definitive spot in Georgia’s political scene, leading to his tenure as the state’s governor. The documentary shows how Carter used popular music as a vessel for his message, and hobnobbed with some of Southern rock and country’s top names — the likes of Willie Nelson, The Allman Brothers, Charlie Daniels and the Cashes. He even hosted Zimmy himself, Bob Dylan, at the governor’s mansion and offered him a place for discussion on the issues of the day.
It’s not often someone as reclusive as Dylan can be found waxing poetic about a former president in a politically driven music documentary, but that underscores what a special person Carter is. Even his fiercest critics and rivals don’t bash his goodwill and mission of service. While it’s enjoyable as a time capsule and a window into a different era in American culture, Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President is best when it reminds us that Carter’s time in the Oval Office should be remembered fondly.
If you want to hear backstage stories about times like when Carter orchestrated a trip to Nashville for the ambassador to China, you’ll get those in spades. The documentary is replete with great concert footage and testimonials about Carter’s legacy as a music fan and benefactor. He understood and preached that via universal genres like country and jazz, music stands as a unifier between political ideologies, that art can serve as one of our best opportunities to break bread with those we disagree with.
Beyond that, the documentary drives home the fact that moral leadership isn’t something to scoff at, that the iron hand doesn’t age as well as the guiding light. Carter tried to govern with his heart, and mold the country with his equitable vision and gentle spirit. In Donald Trump’s America, that feels important to remember.
