‘Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President’ Is An Unfussy Look Into The Relationship Between Music & Politics [AFI Docs Review]
Exploring the intersection of Jimmy Carter’s presidency and the rock and roll music that he was so fond of, Mary Wharton’s unfussy portrait of Carter, “Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President” is a vibrant film that highlights the importance of music in Carter’s life, and how he used culture (or what others in the film calls ‘soft power’) as president. Featuring a slew of famous musicians, including The Allman Brothers, Willie Nelson, and Bob Dylan, Wharton’s film may not be groundbreaking, but it is nevertheless a sympathetic portrait of a president who used his influence to highlight the arts.