Musicians share stories about President Carter ahead of 100th birthday Atlanta concert

The star-studded artist list for “Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song” at the Fox Theatre on Sept. 17 is filled with talented admirers of the former president. But two participants in particular — Chuck Leavell and Patterson Hood, who will perform with his band, Drive-By Truckers — have personal Carter stories The Atlanta Journal-Constitution asked them to share.

Sharing the Fox stage with Leavell and Hood for the celebration will be D-Nice, Eric Church, Grouplove, Maren Morris, the War and Treaty, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus and recent additions the B-52s, Angélique Kidjo, BeBe Winans, Carlene Carter, Duane Betts, India Arie and Lalah Hathaway, along with Academy Award-winning actor Renée Zellweger.

Credit: Jerome McClendon

Chuck Leavell: ‘We absolutely cherish our friendship’

Leavell — who has played keyboards with the likes of Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones, John Mayer and the Allman Brothers Band for 40-plus years — talked about his longtime connection with Carter.

“I first met President Carter when he was governor of Georgia, back in 1973, while recording Dickey Betts’ first solo record, ‘Highway Call,’” Leavell recalled. “We got word that he was coming down to Capricorn Studios for a visit. We all thought it would be a stiff and quick photo op for his resume. But to our surprise, he came in a casual manner, very relaxed and low key.

“He showed genuine interest in the recording process and asked great questions. He also showed strong interest in the business aspect. He listened to a few of the songs we were working on. I mean, really listened and made comments on the instruments, the arrangements.”

A few months later, Leavell was surprised to find out Carter was running for president and Phil Walden, a co-founder of Macon-based Capricorn Records, had become close with the candidate and his team.

“Phil asked the Allman Brothers Band if we would be willing to do some benefit concerts for him,” Leavell said. “Of course, we agreed, and other bands like Marshall Tucker and Charlie Daniels joined in, as well.

“That gave Jimmy the resources he needed to launch and maintain his campaign, and through that, we all became personal friends with him. We were so proud to support him, and so proud when he won.”

Through the years, Carter and LeavelI stayed in touch, and even mailed a few handwritten letters back and forth.

“I was always surprised to get a personal response from him, but I always did. We continued to communicate when he was out of office, and he and Miss Rosalyn actually came to our place, Charlane Woodlands, for a visit a few years back.

“Rose Lane (Leavell’s wife) and I have also visited the Carters in Plains. We absolutely cherish our friendship and are grateful beyond words for the opportunity to know them and to have spent precious time with them. Jimmy Carter is an American hero and American treasure. Happy Birthday, Jimmy.”

Credit: Photo by Brantley Gutierrez

Patterson Hood: ‘The only president I’ve ever shaken hands with’

“I shook hands with him when I was in seventh grade and he was in his first term in office,” Hood said of Carter. “It was in March, about two months after the inauguration. I was visiting my granddaddy in Charleston, West Virginia. My grandmother and I went out and stood in the line behind a rope, and he came down and shook hands with everybody. He’s the only president I’ve ever shaken hands with.”

Hood saw Carter again when he appeared down the road from his hometown, Muscle Shoals, Alabama. “He kicked off the 1980 campaign in Tuscumbia, Alabama, and I was in the crowd,” the musician remembered.

“I’m a huge Carter fan. People get it half right when they say he was a great ex-president. I feel very differently about that. He is the greatest ex-president of all time and probably always will be.”

From Hood’s point of view, Carter has been unfairly treated in his post-presidency.

“I feel like history should set some of that straight,” he said. “Obviously he didn’t get reelected and so therefore people see that as a failure. But he also was ahead of his time, even with the handling of the hostage crisis. Anybody else would have sent in the troops and half of them would have gotten killed. He managed to get (the hostages) out safely without any bloodshed, and it cost him his presidency.

“Just his viewpoint on the environment and the Earth was so far ahead of his time. The closer you look at his record, and what he did and what he tried to do, the better his record and his time in office looks.”

IF YOU GO

‘Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song’

7:30 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Fox Theatre. Tickets $100 (excluding taxes and fees). Hosted by and benefiting the Carter Center; presented by Delta Air Lines. 660 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. foxtheatre.org .

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