The song at President Jimmy Carter’s funeral that got the most attention was a John Lennon song. But when Carter was president, one of his favorite singers was an artist not as well known as the former Beatle, singer-songwriter James Talley. Not only did Talley perform at Carter’s White House and at his inauguration, one of his songs gave extra comfort to Carter’s wife Rosalynn during a difficult transition in her life.
As the documentary Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President highlighted, Carter was a big fan and supporter of popular music. During Carter’s January 2025 funeral, at first it might have seemed odd that Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood would sing John Lennon’s “Imagine” about imagining no God at the religious man’s funeral. But it is not so odd that Carter would love a song about peace, caring, and love. And not only was Carter a fan of “Imagine,” but the same two singers — with Yearwood taking the lead — also performed the song at the memorial for Carter’s wife Rosalynn in 2023.
The Carters and James Talley
Much has been written about Jimmy Carter’s connections to artists like the Allman Brothers and Willie Nelson. But he also supported and loved lesser known artists like James Talley. The folk-country-blues singer-songwriter built a reputation on four albums released in the span of two years in the 1970s: Got No Bread, No Milk, No Money, But We Sure Got a Lot of Love (1975), Tryin’ Like the Devil (1976), Blackjack Choir (1977), and Ain’t It Somethin’ (1977).
Even if you were listening to the radio in the 1970s, Talley may have escaped your notice. But if you were following the President, you were likely to have heard him. (Or maybe you later heard covers of his songs by artists like Johnny Cash, Johnny Paycheck, and Alan Jackson.)
Carter first encountered Talley’s music when Talley sent then-candidate Carter copies of two of his albums. Subsequently, Talley heard an interview where Carter mentioned listening to Talley’s music, adding that Talley had become one of Rosalynn’s favorite artists.
Talley was soon invited to perform at the Georgia Party during Carter’s inauguration and later to return to perform at the White House during Carter’s term. During his first visit, at a private White House Christmas party for staff on December 17, 1977, Talley and his wife Jan sat with the Carters and also danced with the first couple. It was during this party that Talley and his wife found out how much one of his songs meant to Rosalynn Carter.
She explained how much she loved “She Tries Not to Cry” from Talley’s Tryin’ Like the Devil album. As Talley more recently explained on a Facebook post, Rosalynn found some connection to the song about a young woman and her husband moving from eastern Kentucky to Cleveland to find work. The song about the migration from country life to find industrial work, recounts the woman’s loneliness of moving from her home and family to live in a large city.
Rosalynn explained that when she was travelling on the campaign trail and feeling sad and lonely in her hotel room, she would think of the woman in the song. It would make her situation seem trivial by comparison and she would find comfort thinking of that young woman.
After Carter’s presidency, Talley continued to record. Born in Oklahoma on November 9, 1944, Talley is currently in his 80’s and in 2024 released what the said will be his final record, Bandits, Ballads, and Blues.
What is your favorite James Talley song? Leave your two cents in the comments.
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