Longtime Nashville entertainment reporter Jimmy Carter died in his sleep on Tuesday, Oct. 13, his family said. He was 73. His granddaughter, Kira Sparks, announced the news on Facebook, and the family confirmed it to WSMV Channel 4.
No medical cause of death has been announced. Funeral arrangements have also not been made public, and reports say the family will share details in the coming days.
Who was Jimmy Carter?
This is the Nashville broadcaster, not the former U.S. president of the same name. Carter was born Oct. 15, 1952, in Montgomery, Alabama, according to Inside Radio, so he died two days before his 74th birthday. He started in radio as a teenager and helped launch Auburn University's campus station, WEGL-FM.
In Nashville, he spent 21 years at WSMV Channel 4 as an entertainment reporter, covering award shows, premieres, and Music Row events. His interviews included Dolly Parton, Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Clint Eastwood, Sylvester Stallone, and Kevin Costner. He also worked with Crook & Chase and later contributed to WSM Radio's Coffee, Country & Cody. In recent years, he shared entertainment news on his Ask Jimmy Carter YouTube channel.
His family
Sparks wrote that he leaves behind three daughters, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Tributes
WSM Radio said the station lost a dear friend and cherished member of its family. Alabama broadcasters James Spann and Pam Huff also shared tributes to their longtime friend.
JubileeCast extends its prayers and condolences to Carter's family, friends, and the Nashville broadcasting community.
Related: Jimmy Carter, Longtime Nashville Entertainment Reporter and Country Music Broadcaster, Dies at 73
