ANDREW LIMBONG, HOST:
Now lastly, as we speak we spent plenty of time remembering Jimmy Carter’s legacy as a politician and humanitarian. Now we will 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: After all, the Allman Brothers helped put me within the White Home by elevating cash once I did not have any cash.
J CARTER: After all, 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 at the beginning. What he did have was actually good relationships with Phil Walden, who was the supervisor of the Allman Brothers Band, who have been driving excessive. In 1974, they have been the most well-liked band within the nation – had their first huge 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. They’d 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) …Fallacious 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) However it ain’t no use to sit down and surprise 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 the entire Allman Brothers Band members and their administration. They’d 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 seemed 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 advised 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 automobile, the safety guard known as after him and stated, Mr. Allman, Governor would like to see you. He got here out to the porch. He greeted Gregg. He stated, thanks for coming, shook his hand, and he began quoting him his personal lyrics. This man is definitely a fan. He really listens to the music. And Governor Carter stated to him, I’ve a brand new Elmore James report. 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. And so they opened up a bottle of J&B Scotch. Governor Carter stated they’d one drink, which was what he restricted himself to. Gregg stated they completed the bottle. In any case, they sat and had some scotch. And sooner or later, Governor Carter stated to him, by the best way, I am working for president. He simply could not think about that this man consuming scotch in a T-shirt subsequent to him and listening to Elmore James would ever be a severe candidate for president. However he stated, OK. You realize, he stated that Governor Carter stated to him, there could come a time once I want your assist to boost some cash. And he stated, I am going to take it to the blokes within the band, simply let me know while you’re prepared. And he advised Kirk West, the Allman Brothers Band archivist, in a 1987 interview that he simply favored Carter.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
GREGG ALLMAN: So it wasn’t a factor of friendship.
PAUL: And he in all probability would have helped him elevate cash if he was elevating cash for a used automobile lot.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
ALLMAN: He was going to say – if he advised me, nicely, hey, I am going purchase these 4 used automobile heaps…
KIRK WEST: Proper.
ALLMAN: …And I would like 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 known as him an sincere, open, progressive politician.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
GERALDO RIVERA: In an period when individuals are sick to dying 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 individuals are coming to see the Allman Brothers. Bear in mind, do not discuss too lengthy.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
J CARTER: Thanks.
J CARTER: Thanks.
PAUL: You realize, principally individuals did not purchase tickets to return to a Jimmy Carter profit. They purchased tickets to return see the Allman Brothers.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
J CARTER: I’ll say 4 issues.
J CARTER: I’ll 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’ll be elected.
J CARTER: Secondly, I’ll be elected.
PAUL: He held a 3rd finger up within the air.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
J CARTER: Third, this is essential. I would like your assist. Will you assist me?
J CARTER: Third, this is essential. I would like 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 wish to introduce to you my mates and your mates, those which might be going to assist me get elected together with you – the nice Allman Brothers.
J CARTER: And fourth, I wish to introduce to you my mates and your mates, those which might be going to assist me get elected together with you – the nice 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 necessary. They then put an inflow of cash into TV advertisements in Iowa.
(SOUNDBITE OF AD)
J CARTER: I see an America poised not solely at first of a brand new century, however on the brink of an extended, new period of more practical and environment friendly and delicate and competent authorities.
J CARTER: I see an America poised not solely at first of a brand new century, however on the brink of an extended, new period of more practical and environment friendly and delicate and competent authorities.
PAUL: Because the 1976 marketing campaign, we have develop into used to the thought of celebrities and musicians campaigning, performing, elevating cash, elevating consciousness for candidates. It was solely 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 Trade. Rolling Stone journal even steered he would possibly by no means be capable of carry out once more. And the one one who didn’t ever abandon him was the one who arguably had essentially the most logical purpose to take action, which was Jimmy Carter. He wasn’t going to desert a pal for comfort, even within the warmth of an election, even when his pal 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 means of the archives. And I simply gained an amazing quantity of respect for him as an individual, as a politician. Folks usually speak about him as if he was some type of bumpkin who stumbled into being president. And naturally, that is not true. No one turns into president of the US 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 really loyal pal. And I believe that that is one thing that everyone ought to be capable of 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 as we speak at his residence in Plains, Georgia, on the age of 100. Keep tuned to your NPR station within the days forward for all the most recent because the nation remembers the thirty ninth president.
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