Trisha Yearwood is mourning the loss of President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on December 29. Carter, who served as President of the United States from 1977 to 1981, became an outspoken advocate and staunch supporter of Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that provides affordable housing for families in need. Both Yearwood and her husband, Garth Brooks, also supported Habitat for Humanity, often working alongside Carter.
“Rest easy, Mr. President,” Yearwood writes. “I’m sad for us, and happy for you. Your and Mrs. Rosalynn’s legacy of love will live forever.”
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Carter’s wife, Rosalyn, passed away on November 19, 2023, with both Yearwood and Brooks singing at her funeral. The couple performed John Lennon’s “Imagine,” in tribute to the former First Lady.
“It’s tough,” Brooks said after Carter’s passing (via American Songwriter). “President Carter calls Ms. Yearwood his second favorite Georgia peach. All I can think about right now is, when you think about President Carter, you don’t say one without the other.”
It was after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 that Yearwood and Brooks became involved in Habitat for Humanity, a cause that quickly became a lifelong passion for both of them. Their participation also forged a deep friendship with the Carters.
“You learn several things when working alongside the Carters,” Yearwood told WSMV. “You learn that you better be working all the time — if you look like you’re standing there idle, President Carter will ask you if you need a job, if you need something to do.”
On October 1, the day President Carter turned 100 years old, Yearwood shared a touching tribute to the centenarian.
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“To the man with the longest legacy of giving we have ever known, Happy 100th Birthday Mr. President Carter,” she wrote, in a message signed by her and Brooks. “Your work has impacted the world and your heart continues to change lives, ours included. Grateful to be on your Carter Work Project Habitat for Humanity build this week with many others … Thank you for inspiring all of us to give more and love more! It’s an honor to be your friend.”
An added bonus of joining the work of Habitat for Humanity was Yearwood and Brooks’ friendship with the Carters, who became one of their biggest sources of inspiration.
“We knew we loved the Carters and we fell more in love with them just getting a chance to work alongside them,” Yearwood said (via Fox News). “We love what Habitat for Humanity is about: spreading love. It is about creating community.”
In June, Yeawood was the recipient of the June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award, honoring the many ways she serves others, including with Habitat for Humanity. Find all of her music and upcoming shows at TrishaYearwood.com.