ANDREW LIMBONG, HOST:
Now lastly, at this time we spent quite a lot of time remembering Jimmy Carter’s legacy as a politician and humanitarian. Now we’ll learn the way Jimmy Carter’s love of music and his friendship with the Allman Brothers helped get him elected, one thing he recounted within the movie “Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President.”
(SOUNDBITE OF DOCUMENTARY, “JIMMY CARTER: ROCK & ROLL PRESIDENT”)
JIMMY CARTER: In fact, the Allman Brothers helped put me within the White Home by elevating cash once I did not have any cash.
J CARTER: In fact, the Allman Brothers helped put me within the White Home by elevating cash once I did not have any cash.
(SOUNDBITE OF ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND SONG, “JESSICA”)
ALAN PAUL: That is Alan Paul. I am a biographer of the Allman Brothers Band. When Jimmy Carter started his marketing campaign for president – and it was an actual lengthy shot – he had just about no cash firstly. What he did have was actually good relationships with Phil Walden, who was the supervisor of the Allman Brothers Band, who have been using excessive. In 1974, they have been the preferred band within the nation – had their first massive hit, “Rambling Man.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “RAMBLING MAN”)
ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND: (Singing) Lord I used to be born…
PAUL: Phil Walden had constructed this music empire in sleepy Macon, Georgia, had – to say the least – not been embraced by state political authorities. They have been very leery of those type of hippies. The Allman Brothers have been a biracial band. That they had two Black members. They have been well-known for his or her consumption of medicine. And the political institution in Georgia didn’t embrace them in any respect till Jimmy Carter did.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “RAMBLING MAN”)
ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND: (Singing) …Mistaken finish of a gun…
PAUL: Jimmy Carter actually did love this music.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
PAUL: In January 1974, Bob Dylan did his first nationwide tour in eight years backed by the band.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
BOB DYLAN: (Singing) But it surely ain’t no use to sit down and marvel why, babe, if’n you do not know by now.
PAUL: Then they have been going to be taking part in two nights on the Omni in Atlanta. Jimmy Carter went to the primary evening, and he invited everybody within the band over to the governor’s mansion afterwards for a reception. Carter additionally invited all the Allman Brothers Band members and their administration. That they had the reception. Nobody from the Allman Brothers Band confirmed up. Now, Gregg Allman was down in Macon, which is 90 miles south of Atlanta. He was rehearsing for a upcoming solo tour. He appeared up on the clock. Oh, it is 11:00. Let’s go up there.
In order that they piled right into a limousine. They drove as much as the governor’s mansion. The lights have been darkish. He informed the safety guard, I am Gregg Allman. I used to be invited to the celebration. Please inform the governor I got here, and I am sorry that I missed him. And as he went to return into the automotive, the safety guard referred to as after him and mentioned, Mr. Allman, Governor would like to see you. He got here out to the porch. He greeted Gregg. He mentioned, thanks for coming, shook his hand, and he began quoting him his personal lyrics. This man is definitely a fan. He truly listens to the music. And Governor Carter mentioned to him, I’ve a brand new Elmore James document. Come on in, and we’ll take heed to it.
(SOUNDBITE OF ELMORE JAMES’ “PICKIN’ THE BLUES”)
PAUL: You realize, Gregg at this level was nonetheless fairly younger, however he had been a working musician since he was 16. They usually opened up a bottle of J&B Scotch. Governor Carter mentioned they’d one drink, which was what he restricted himself to. Gregg mentioned they completed the bottle. In any case, they sat and had some scotch. And sooner or later, Governor Carter mentioned to him, by the best way, I am working for president. He simply could not think about that this man ingesting scotch in a T-shirt subsequent to him and listening to Elmore James would ever be a critical candidate for president. However he mentioned, OK. You realize, he mentioned that Governor Carter mentioned to him, there might come a time once I want your assist to lift some cash. And he mentioned, I am going to take it to the blokes within the band, simply let me know while you’re prepared. And he informed Kirk West, the Allman Brothers Band archivist, in a 1987 interview that he simply preferred Carter.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
GREGG ALLMAN: So it wasn’t a factor of friendship.
PAUL: And he most likely would have helped him increase cash if he was elevating cash for a used automotive lot.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
ALLMAN: He was going to say – if he informed me, nicely, hey, I am going purchase these 4 used automotive heaps…
KIRK WEST: Proper.
ALLMAN: …And I want some cash – I am going to do what I can.
WEST: Yeah.
PAUL: The most important direct carry that the Allman Brothers Band gave to the Jimmy Carter marketing campaign was this profit live performance that they’d in Windfall, Rhode Island, on the civic middle on November 25, 1975, simply a few months earlier than the Iowa Caucuses.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
ALLMAN: I would prefer to current a really particular visitor, the star of “Good Morning” and “Good Evening America”…
PAUL: So Geraldo Rivera was the emcee of the evening. He launched Carter to the gang. He referred to as him an sincere, open, progressive politician.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
GERALDO RIVERA: In an period when persons are sick to loss of life the politicians from Watergate and the nation’s bored with all of the jive that we hear popping out of Washington, Governor Carter is sort of a breath of contemporary air…
PAUL: Jimmy Carter is sort of a breath of contemporary air popping out of Georgia, and he is sweeping the nation, individuals. After which Jimmy Carter got here strolling out on the stage. Tom Beard, who was working with him, that afternoon had reminded the candidate, Governor Carter, the persons are coming to see the Allman Brothers. Keep in mind, do not discuss too lengthy.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
J CARTER: Thanks.
J CARTER: Thanks.
PAUL: You realize, largely individuals did not purchase tickets to come back to a Jimmy Carter profit. They purchased tickets to come back see the Allman Brothers.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
J CARTER: I will say 4 issues.
J CARTER: I will say 4 issues.
PAUL: He held his fingers within the air – one.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
J CARTER: To begin with, I am working for president.
J CARTER: To begin with, I am working for president.
PAUL: He held the second finger up within the air.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
J CARTER: Secondly, I will be elected.
J CARTER: Secondly, I will be elected.
PAUL: He held a 3rd finger up within the air.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
J CARTER: Third, this is essential. I want your assist. Will you assist me?
J CARTER: Third, this is essential. I want your assist. Will you assist me?
PAUL: He held a fourth finger up within the air.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
J CARTER: And fourth, I need to introduce to you my buddies and your mates, those which can be going to assist me get elected together with you – the good Allman Brothers.
J CARTER: And fourth, I need to introduce to you my buddies and your mates, those which can be going to assist me get elected together with you – the good Allman Brothers.
(CHEERING)
PAUL: Crowd erupted in cheers.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
ALLMAN: One, two, three, 4.
PAUL: The cash that they raised was actually vital. They then put an inflow of cash into TV adverts in Iowa.
(SOUNDBITE OF AD)
J CARTER: I see an America poised not solely in the beginning of a brand new century, however on the brink of a protracted, new period of simpler and environment friendly and delicate and competent authorities.
J CARTER: I see an America poised not solely in the beginning of a brand new century, however on the brink of a protracted, new period of simpler and environment friendly and delicate and competent authorities.
PAUL: For the reason that 1976 marketing campaign, we have turn into used to the concept of celebrities and musicians campaigning, performing, elevating cash, elevating consciousness for candidates. It was fully uncommon at the moment.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: On November 2, vote for Jimmy Carter.
PAUL: In late June of 1976, nearly 4 1/2 months earlier than the election, Gregg Allman testified in a drug trial, and he was castigated by the rock and roll Business. Rolling Stone journal even recommended he would possibly by no means have the ability to carry out once more. And the one one that didn’t ever abandon him was the one that arguably had probably the most logical cause to take action, which was Jimmy Carter. He wasn’t going to desert a good friend for comfort, even within the warmth of an election, even when his good friend was, you understand, arguably America’s most well-known drug person, as Gregg Allman was.
In researching my ebook, “Brothers And Sisters,” I spent quite a lot of time on the Carter Middle going by the archives. And I simply gained an incredible quantity of respect for him as an individual, as a politician. Individuals typically speak about him as if he was some type of bumpkin who stumbled into being president. And naturally, that is not true. No person turns into president of america with out quite a lot of confidence, quite a lot of ambition. However in his relationship with the Allman Brothers Band and with Phil Walden, I believe what you see mirrored is that he additionally was a very loyal good friend. And I believe that that is one thing that everyone ought to have the ability to salute and honor.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
LIMBONG: That was Alan Paul, the writer of “Brothers And Sisters,” a ebook on the Allman Brothers.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
LIMBONG: We have been remembering the lifetime of former President Jimmy Carter. He died at this time at his house in Plains, Georgia, on the age of 100. Keep tuned to your NPR station within the days forward for all the newest because the nation remembers the thirty ninth president.
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