Jimmy Carter’s legacy is firmly cemented in America and worldwide. It includes many accomplishments both during and after his presidency, all of which can be traced back to the foundation of his faith and the religious music that he cherished.

Carter, who died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100, has been called the first “rock ‘n’ roll president,” and he certainly was, embracing friendships with artists like Willie Nelson, Gregg Allman, Charlie Daniels, Larry Gatlin, Johnny Cash, and Bob Dylan, to name a few. He loved music of all kinds — rock, pop, classical, country, folk, blues, jazz, and gospel. In fact, the religious songs he heard in church as a young boy left a powerful impression on him. Possibly the greatest of those hymns was “Amazing Grace,” a song he and his wife Rosalynn favored over all others.

The 2020 documentary “Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President” demonstrates how Carter used music to unite people, from jazz on the White House lawn to full-blown rock and roll and country concerts. In fact, his love of music shaped his view of the world. The documentary reveals that Carter frequently quoted Dylan and that during the Iranian hostage crisis, he would retreat to his study and listen to Nelson to soothe his thoughts.

Country music had a significant influence on Carter, as reflected in his appreciation for Nelson’s songs, particularly “On the Road Again.” He admired this song for its message of freedom and adventure. Additionally, he enjoyed listening to various country songs on the radio while at his brother Billy Carter’s filling station in his hometown of Plains, Georgia.

The former naval lieutenant and peanut farmer with a degree in nuclear physics served one term as governor of Georgia before becoming president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. During that time, he championed civil rights and brokered the Camp David Accords while initiating the historic meeting between Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin.

After his one term in office, he promoted human rights by founding the Carter Center in 1982, building homes with Rosalynn for Habitat for Humanity, and helping promote peace and unity for individuals regardless of religion, color, or political affiliations.

On June 14, 1977, Johnny and June Carter Cash performed for Carter at the White House. In a 1976 interview, Cash called Carter “an air of positivity in politics” who truly believed in what he was doing and said that the country needed him after the experience of Watergate and Vietnam. Cash also proudly made reference to the notion that Carter was related to his wife June and the “country” Carter family, claiming that Jimmy was June’s fourth cousin. “[Carter] brought it up,” said Cash. “He’s the one who told her where the family ties lie.”

Nelson also shared a unique and longtime friendship with Carter. The 39th president loved having Nelson and his family perform at the White House. In his 1982 autobiography “Keeping Faith,” Carter included a 1979 entry from his diary where he called Nelson’s concerts “the best thing for morale around the White House.” In Nelson’s autobiography, he called Carter “a mighty good friend who saw me as a soulmate. A country boy who grew up, like him, in a backwoods church believing in the Holy Spirit.”

Dylan called Carter “a kindred spirit to me, of a rare kind. The kind of man you don’t meet every day, and you’re lucky to meet if you ever do.” Carter, for his part, called Dylan “one of my best friends” and quoted the lyrics to Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’ ” during his 1976 campaign. “There’s many sides to him,” Dylan said of Carter, who he first met after a 1974 performance in Atlanta. “The first thing he did was quote songs back to me. It was the first time I realized my songs had reached into, basically, into the establishment world.”

There have also been songs written about Carter, including “Ballad of Jimmy Carter” by singer-songwriter Dan Bern which was heard in the 2007 Jonathan Demme film “Jimmy Carter: Man from Plains.” The song, performed by Bern in a Woody Guthrie style chronicles Carter’s life from his birth in 1924 to James Earl and Lillian Carter and traces all that he accomplished throughout his life. One of the last times the Carters joined Nelson onstage to perform songs with him was in June 2016, when Nelson and Kris Kristofferson performed at a theater in Atlanta.

After Rosalynn’s death on Nov. 19, 2023, Willie Nelson was among the mourners at her funeral. Nelson defined Carter’s love of country and gospel music, recalling, “He and Rosalynn loved to come onstage and sing “Amazing Grace” and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” Nelson warmly acknowledged his decades-long friendship with Carter by calling him “a man I’d felt I’d known my whole life.”

No doubt Rosalynn, Charlie Daniels, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, and members of the musical Carter Family were there to greet him on Dec. 29 and join together for a heavenly chorus of “Amazing Grace” celebrating 100 years of a life very well lived.