10/14/2026
Remembering Jimmy Carter: Beloved Entertainment Reporter and Broadcasting Veteran Dies at 73
October 15, 1952 – October 13, 2026
Longtime entertainment reporter and broadcasting veteran Jimmy Carter passed away on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, just two days shy of his 74th birthday. For more than five decades, Carter brought listeners the latest news from Nashville and Hollywood, earning a reputation as one of the entertainment industry’s most recognizable and knowledgeable voices.
Born in Montgomery, Alabama, on October 15, 1952, Carter’s broadcasting journey began in 1968 when he was just 15 years old. His passion for radio eventually led him to Auburn University, where he helped establish the campus radio station WEGL-FM.
That early love of broadcasting grew into an extraordinary career spanning radio, television, entertainment journalism, and production. Carter worked with ABC’s Wide World of Sports, covered major news events as a television reporter and producer, and earned an Emmy Award for his work at Nashville’s WSMV-TV. His career also included work with NBC, CBS, The Nashville Network, and the popular entertainment programs Crook & Chase.
Over the years, Carter interviewed countless celebrities, from Hollywood legends like Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford, and Kevin Costner to some of the biggest names in country music. He met Elvis Presley twice, covered major award shows, and developed relationships throughout Nashville that gave him a perspective few entertainment reporters could match.
But for generations of Central Texas radio listeners, Jimmy Carter was much more than a nationally known entertainment reporter. He was a familiar voice and a welcome part of their morning routines.
For nearly 34 years, beginning in 1992, Jimmy Carter was a familiar voice to generations of Austin morning radio listeners. His longtime connection to Central Texas began alongside legendary broadcaster Bob Cole on KVET’s beloved Sammy and Bob morning show with Sammy Allred. That relationship continued for more than another decade with the revival of the historic KOKE-FM, where Carter joined Cole and Eric Raines for a regular 20- to 30-minute segment each weekday morning. Since 2024, Carter’s unique blend of entertainment, information, and storytelling remained a familiar part of the morning on Audacy Austin’s 95.9 FM Texas Country, a tradition that continued until his sudden passing.
Whether he was sharing breaking news from Nashville, recounting an encounter with a country music legend, or getting caught up in the morning show’s conversation, Jimmy had a way of making listeners feel as though they were getting the inside story from an old friend.
His reports were more than entertainment headlines. They were often filled with personal stories, humor, and firsthand experiences gathered over a lifetime spent working alongside some of the biggest names in show business.
Beyond broadcasting, Carter shared his knowledge with future generations of entertainment professionals as an instructor at Belmont University’s Mike Curb School of Music Business in Nashville, teaching courses in electronic media, public relations, and artist management.
Away from the microphone, Jimmy was a proud father to three daughters, Michelle, Sara, and Mary Clarke, and a grandfather and great-grandfather.
For those who had the privilege of working alongside him, Jimmy wasn’t simply a voice calling in from Nashville. He was a colleague, a storyteller, and a familiar part of the radio family. His knowledge was remarkable, his stories were seemingly endless, and his love for broadcasting never faded.
Jimmy Carter spent nearly his entire life telling the stories of others. Today, the broadcasting community, his friends, colleagues, and generations of listeners remember the man behind those stories.
His unmistakable voice will be missed, but the memories and stories he shared will live on.
