Atlanta News First reported on Thursday that The Carter Center has announced a musical celebration to honor its founder’s 100th birthday.
On September 17, 2024, the Fox Theatre in Atlanta will host “Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song,” an event dedicated to honoring former President Jimmy Carter’s incredible legacy of service. Attendees will witness live performances by talented artists paying tribute to Carter, along with special guests who will join in on the celebration.
The upcoming event titled “Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song” will showcase an array of musical genres with performances by notable artists such as Chuck Leavell, D-Nice, Drive-By Truckers, Eric Church, GROUPLOVE, Maren Morris, The War And Treaty, and The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus. The show will be directed by the Emmy award-winner Rickey Minor and will include appearances by celebrity guests, including Dale Murphy, Killer Mike, and Sean Penn. The organizers have also promised to announce more artists and presenters soon.
After spending over a year in hospice care, the United States’ oldest living president, Carter, is preparing to celebrate his 100th birthday on October 1, 2024.
“My grandfather has always found joy, comfort, and inspiration through music, whether it was playing on his record player, during his time on the campaign trail, or even on the White House lawn,” shared Jason Carter, the chair of the Carter Center Board of Trustees and President Carter’s grandson. “To commemorate his 100th birthday, we believe that a night of music would be the perfect way to honor him and his love for this art form.”
Georgia’s favorite son, Jimmy Carter, has always been a lover of music, which has played a significant role in his life and career. It was during his successful 1976 presidential campaign that the idea of a concert to honor him was born. Famous acts such as the Allman Brothers rallied to his message of change, honesty, and character.
Chuck Leavell, former keyboardist for the Allman Brothers and the Rolling Stones, reminisced about the time when Jimmy Carter was running for president. Leavell mentioned that the Allman Brothers played concerts for Carter’s campaign as they believed in his vision for hope and change for America. According to Leavell, they never could have imagined the positive impact that Carter would have on the entire world. Leavell expressed his honor to play at Carter’s 100th birthday celebration and to commemorate a man whose legacy will inspire future generations.
The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta will be hosting the JC100 Film Festival on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. During his administration, President Carter had a list of favorite films that were shown at the White House, and the library will be showcasing some of them during the festival. The best part is that museum and event admission is free, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to experience some of President Carter’s favorite films.
When Carter was governor of Georgia, he was instrumental in the founding of the state’s film office. This was due in large part to the triumph of “Deliverance,” one of the earliest movies to be filmed in the Peach State. The film, which was based on James Dickey’s debut novel of the same name, starred Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, Ronny Cox, and Jon Voight, and was shot in the communities of Clayton and Rabun counties in northeast Georgia. It was a massive commercial success.
Lee Thomas, deputy commissioner of the Georgia film music and digital entertainment office, stated that Carter recognized the potential of bringing money into a poverty-stricken area of the state from external sources. As a result, he sought ways to increase revenue.
During his time, Burt Reynolds was considered as one of the most renowned leading actors in Hollywood. He chose to shoot several of his later movies, such as “The Longest Yard” (1974), “Gator” (1976), “Smokey and the Bandit” (1977), “Cannonball Run” (1980), “Smokey and the Bandit II” (1980), and “Sharky’s Machine” (1981) in Georgia. Interestingly, “Sharky’s Machine” was filmed primarily in Atlanta.
Born on October 1st, 1924, Carter spent his early years in Plains, a small agricultural town situated approximately 150 miles south of downtown Atlanta. He spent his formative years in the nearby community of Archery.
The only living ex-presidents of the United States include Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
In November, Carter made his final public appearance at the funeral of his beloved wife, Rosalynn Carter. She had passed away at the age of 96, just days after entering hospice care.
