Songwriters will tell you that the best performers are something akin to actors, playing out the roles about which they sing. Perhaps that’s why concerts by country artist Jason Bradley DeFord, who music fans know as Jelly Roll, are almost akin to revival meetings. The passion Jelly Roll brings to performances is undoubtedly no act. He’s battled addiction, abandonment, poverty, and a felony charge in his home state of Tennessee that still impacts his personal and professional life.
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And like country greats before him—think Waylon Jennings, Johnny Paycheck, Johnny Cash, and Merle Haggard (who was serving time in San Quentin prison when he saw Cash perform)—Jelly Roll has turned his struggles into therapeutic music.
“This album is about growth and gratitude happening in my life,” Jelly Roll tells American Songwriter of his debut country album Whitsitt Chapel. “I wanted to create a project that felt hopeful.” Want to know more? Just listen to Jelly Roll’s music. You’ll discover the path he took to turn his life around and stay on a steady path.
Jelly Roll’s lyrics are even more moving when you hear the genuine passion he brings to the words as he seemingly relives the incidents that inspired his music. He’s spoken publicly about the therapeutic role he hopes his music bring to at-risk youth and those with addictions. He’s donated profits from his shows to organizations that support those populations, works with Nashville-area nonprofit “Impact Youth Outreach,” and built a recording studio inside Davidson Country Juvenile Detention Center.
We bet you’ll see his passion when you tune into these five must-watch Jelly Roll performances, including one from his June 2 debut country album, Whitsitt Chapel.
1. “Dead Man Walking” from Ballads of the Broken (2021)
Next Wave Concert Series Vol. 4 | SiriusXM – March 4, 2022
As Jelly Roll paces about the stage performing “Dead Man Walking” as part of Sirius XM’s Next Wave Concert Series Vol. 4, it’s impossible not to think he’s talking right to you. The steady drums, turntable scratching, and rap-style vocals of the performance—He began writing rap music at age 10 and sharing mixtapes when he was in the eighth grade—even more power to the song that tells of the strong desire to give up on life but a flicker of hope that keeps the person battling demons.
Clad in a light-colored jacket and shirt, jeans, and boots, Jelly Roll prowls around the stage as one might a police holding room, occasionally lifting his arm to point at a section of the audience. Little wonder the song from his Ballads of the Broken album was his first No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. At the same time, his song “Son of a Sinner” hit No. 1 on country radio.
2. “Son of a Sinner” from Ballads of the Broken (2021)
Live at the Grand Ole Opry – October 26, 2022
We’ve told you that Jelly Roll performed “Son of a Sinner” with his co-writer ERNEST – David Ray Stevens also pitched in on the writing – during a May concert in Florida. As terrific as that performance was, you’ll also want to catch Jelly Roll’s song performance from his Ballads of the Broken album from October 2022. Not only does he give shout-outs to Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Merle Haggard, but he adds ones for traditional country music and the stage on which he stood at the Grand Ole Opry when he performed his first Top 10 hit on country radio. The softly sung performance brought audience members to their feet, and we can’t help but think his idols would be proud.
3. “Need a Favor”
CMA Fest 2023 Live Performance
If you want a glimpse into the raw energy Jelly Roll brings to a show, you only need to watch his 2023 “Need a Favor” performance at the CMA Fest, which American Songwriter recently highlighted. Once again, the authenticity of his lyrics is so powerful they bring the crowd—including country music stars Wynonna and LeAnn Rimes—to their feet to join Jelly Roll as he sings the song about honoring God from his 2023 album, Whitsitt Chapel.
4. “Nail Me”
Official Live Performance from Ryman Auditorium
Jelly Roll sits on a stool when he performs this ballad for a crowd at Ryman Auditorium. The recorded song praising God and mourning his missteps – on his Whitsitt Chapel album – opens and closes with the voice of an actual preacher. Watch this video, and you’ll feel all the passion and refined energy of the recorded version – even more due to Jelly Roll’s heartfelt performance and the live wail of a steel guitar.
5. “Hungover In a Church Pew”
Live from Ryman Auditorium
You’re forgiven for thinking the up-tempo “Hungover in Church Pew” from the Whitsitt Chapel album would be more potent as a ballad. Yes, it tells a tale of a man turning to alcohol after a romantic heartbreak, but the underlying messages are regret and redemption. Before Jelly Roll performs the song at the Ryman Auditorium, he talks about his missteps, adding that the critical point is that he turned his life around. But what makes this performance special is his confession, “I don’t want to get too spiritual here, but I believe God was telling me you need to write this out. It’s clear what you need to do.”
Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for CMA
