President Jimmy Carter’s “Uniquely American” Letter He Wrote the Academy of Country Music

Jimmy Carter, America’s “Rock and Roll President,” died Sunday (Dec. 29) at the age of 100.

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The Carter Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing human rights worldwide, announced its founder’s death on X/Twitter. Carter passed at his home Sunday afternoon in Plains, Georgia.

Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia. pic.twitter.com/aqYmcE9tXi

— The Carter Center (@CarterCenter) December 29, 2024

Jimmy Carter Was An Avowed Music Fan

Born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, James Earl Carter, Jr. grew up on a peanut farm in nearby Archery. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946, subsequently serving seven years in the Navy as part of their nuclear submarine program. Later, he ventured into politics, serving in the Georgia State Senate and then as governor of the Peach State.

Serving as the 39th president from 1977 until 1981, Jimmy Carter brought a lifelong passion for music and the arts into his public service. He famously invited Bob Dylan to the governor’s mansion during his gubernatorial term. Later, Southern rock staples The Allman Brothers and The Marshall Tucker Band would put on concerts to raise money for his presidential campaign.

[RELATED: 3 Memorable Moments When Former President Jimmy Carter and Willie Nelson Shared the Stage and Their Lifelong Musical Bond]

Carter celebrated his 100th birthday on Oct. 1, 2024. That same day, the Academy of Country Music shared a letter sent by the former president in 1980.

“Country music is heard everywhere,” Carter wrote. “It is the deepest expression of all that is uniquely American. It echoes the innermost story of our people—of their experiences, their hardships and their victories, their sorrows and their joys, their hopes and their aspirations.”

"Country Music is heard everywhere. It is the deepest expression of all that is uniquely American." – President Jimmy Carter

It is our honor to celebrate President Jimmy Carter on his 100th birthday! 🎉 We’re proud to share this heartfelt letter he sent to us in 1980.

Thank… pic.twitter.com/9ueCzI34kL

— ACM Awards (@ACMawards) October 1, 2024

Carter’s love for music converged on his 100th birthday celebration, Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song. The War and Treaty, Maren Morris, Drive-By Truckers, and more performed during the celebration. Additional acts included Chuck Leavell of the Allman Brothers Band, Eric Church, GROUPLOVE, and D-Nice.

Featured image by Bob Daemmrich/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock