How Jimmy Carter Bonded With the Allman Brothers
Chuck Leavell remembers when he and the rest of the Allman Brothers Band heard that Gov. Jimmy Carter of Georgia wanted to drop by and visit them at Capricorn Studios in Macon in 1973, when Southern rock groups were on the rise.
They figured it was just a photo op. "In fact, he stayed like two hours," said Mr. Leavell, a keyboardist who was 21 at the time and had little acquaintance with politics.
"He listened. He was really into the music we were doing. He asked questions about the recording process, the state of the music business. He expressed his love for the music."
That session was the beginning of an enduring relationship between the uptight Southern Baptist and the hard-partying band famous for its iconic slide guitar sound, extended concert jams and hits such as "Ramblin' Man." The relationship proved particularly beneficial when Mr. Carter ran for president a few years later and the Allman Brothers were arguably the hottest band in the country. Looking for help building what seemed a quixotic quest at the time, Mr. Carter enlisted the band as partners in fund-raising at a benefit concert on Nov. 25, 1975, in Providence, R.I.
"First of all, I'm running for president," Mr. Carter told the crowd at the civic center, most of whom probably had little idea who he was. "Secondly, I'm going to be elected. Third, this is very important: I need your help. Will you help me? Fourth, I want to introduce you to my friends and your friends, the ones who are going to help me
