[4] Norman Lear was enjoying huge success in the 1970s, with the hit television series All in the Family, Sanford and Son, and Maude.

Lear developed Good Times as a spin-off series for Maude's housekeeper, Florida Evans (portrayed by Esther Rolle) and her husband Henry (John Amos), who was renamed James.

[5] Because of Carter's success in Raisin, Lear bought out the remainder of his Broadway contract to cast him as the first original character of Good Times, James and Florida's youngest son, Michael.

Carter performed the song on the musical variety television show Soul Train.

In 2005, Carter appeared in the cast of "Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death" for the Classical Theatre of Harlem Company.