CNN Films acquires rights to ‘Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President’ documentary

CNN Films announced Thursday that it has acquired North American broadcast rights to the documentary “Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President,” which focuses on the role popular music played when the former president ran for the White House.

“The film shows how Carter’s life-long passion for music gave him an unexpected edge as a presidential candidate, as he tapped into a force that transcended racial and generational divides, and often party lines,” reads the announcement.

The documentary will include interviews with Willie Nelson, Bono, Bob Dylan, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Jimmy Buffett, Roseanne Cash, Paul Simon and Madeleine Albright, among others, according to the network.

Carter, the nation’s 39th president, is the last Democrat to be voted out of office after one term, losing to former President Reagan.

“Despite the difficult times we are in, the film highlights my personal belief that we should remain hopeful and that music is a powerful source of hope in trying times,” Carter, 95, said in the statement.

The film was originally scheduled to be shown at the Tribeca Film Festival in April, but the festival was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.