Yesterday, former president Jimmy Carter presented Gregg Allman with an honorary Doctorate of Humanities during Mercer University‘s Spring 2016 commencement ceremony in Macon, Georgia. Carter and Allman share quite a bit of history in the southern town, as the Allman Brothers Band publicly supported the former president there during his campaign in the 1970s.
Carter explained to the audience that he might not have won the election had the Allman Brothers not “adopted” him, according to ABC News. The Macon attendees had a laugh, knowing the history of the relationship, as Carter continued to explain that the band’s endorsement let people know he “must be qualified to be president of the United States.”
Before the ceremony, Allman played a heartfelt “Sweet Melissa” to the graduating class and explained the origin of the song. He wrote the lyrics about a woman he imagined while living life on the road, and named her Melissa after a woman he saw in the grocery store. He also performed “Midnight Rider.” Watch both performances below!
Sweet Melissa
Watch Jimmy Carter present Gregg Allman with an honorary doctorate of humanities:
[Videos via The Telegraph]