Former President Jimmy Carter has won a posthumous Grammy Award for narrating an audiobook of his Sunday school lessons. The album, titled “Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration,” features recordings from Carter’s final Sunday School lessons delivered at Maranatha Baptist Church in Georgia. It won the award for Best Audiobook, Narration, and Storytelling Recording at the 67th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb.
2, 2025, in Los Angeles. Musicians Darius Rucker, Lee Ann Rimes, and Jon Batiste contribute to the record. This award marks Carter’s fourth Grammy; he had previously won three Grammys for spoken word albums.
Jason Carter, Jimmy Carter’s grandson and chair of The Carter Center governing board, accepted the award on his behalf. “Having his words captured in this way for my family and for the world is truly remarkable,” Jason Carter said. “Thank you to the academy.”
Carter triumphed over George Clinton and producer Mike Oldfield in a competitive category.
If Carter had won the award before his death, he would have become the oldest Grammy award winner in history. Currently, the record is held by 97-year-old Pinetop Perkins, who won in 2011. Backstage, Jason Carter talked about his grandfather’s love for music.
“He loves the creative aspect of music. It’s been an important part of his political and personal life.
Carter’s posthumous Grammy honor
He’s an artist in many ways,” he said. Jimmy Carter joins a list of former presidents who have won Grammys. Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have two Grammys each, while first ladies Michelle Obama and Hilary Clinton have also won.
Former presidents Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, and Richard Nixon were nominated but did not win.
The night had its share of surprises and memorable moments. Chappell Roan took home the Best New Artist award. If Barbra Streisand had won an award, it would have been her first Grammy in 38 years.
Two men wore yellow pins honoring Gaza hostages while accepting Jimmy Carter’s posthumous Grammy award for the audiobook version of his memoir, “A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety,” on Sunday. The two individuals were Steve Schnur, Co-Founder of Creative Community for Peace and Worldwide Executive & Music President at Electronic Arts, and Doug Davis, an attorney and Founder of The Davis Firm. Both played roles in the production of the audiobook.
Meanwhile, Beyoncé scored the top prize at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, taking Album of the Year for the first time with her country record “Cowboy Carter.” She triumphed over Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and others to claim the elusive trophy, adding to her record number of Grammys. Sabrina Carpenter won Best Pop Vocal Album for “Short n’ Sweet,” minutes after she performed her hits “Please Please Please” and “Espresso” on the Grammys stage. Earlier, Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus took home the trophy for Best Country Duo or Group Performance for “II Most Wanted,” a collaboration on Beyoncé’s album “Cowboy Carter.”
This year’s Grammy festivities included a fundraising effort for people affected by wildfires, which were contained on Friday after killing 29 people and displacing thousands, including many musicians.