Jelly RollIt was a night built on redemption, friendship and a whole lot of emotion as Jelly Roll was officially inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.
The three time Grammy winner was welcomed into the Opry family by close friend and fellow member Lainey Wilson, marking a career milestone that felt like a full circle moment years in the making.
Also joining the celebration were Opry member Craig Morgan along with friends ERNEST and comedian Leanne Morgan. And among the crowd were Sheriff Daron Hall and Davidson County juvenile correctional professional Yolanda Hockett, both of whom supported him during his time in the juvenile system.
In another emotional moment, his mother sat in the audience for the first time ever watching him perform on the Opry stage.
Jelly Roll kicked off the night with a run of some of his biggest songs including Liar, Need A Favor, I Am Not Okay, Hard Fought Hallelujah, and Son Of A Sinner which he performed alongside ERNEST. He also wore a cross that once belonged to Johnny Cash, given to him by Cash’s son John Carter Cash.
When Wilson stepped into the Opry’s famous circle to officially welcome him, she delivered a speech that captured exactly why Jelly Roll has become such a powerful voice in modern country.
“Country music has always been about telling stories, the good, the bad, the messy; it's about redemption, and tonight we are welcoming a man who has never been afraid to tell the truth about his life. He turned pain into purpose, mistakes into music, and somehow managed to make millions of people feel like they are a little less alone. I’m so proud to call you my friend. Jelly Roll, because of your heart, your story, and the way you have used your voice to lift everybody else up, it is my honor to welcome you into the Grand Ole Opry family.” said Wilson.
Clearly overwhelmed by the moment, Jelly Roll reflected on just how unlikely the journey had been.
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“To take a convicted felon from Music City who found country music because I’m from Nashville, and you take that kid who's been in the local juvenile and local county jail, and you bring him here and give him Grammys, awards, and platinum plaques, and then you make him a member of the most prestigious group of the Grand Ole Opry. Every word of that sounded like I’m telling you a lot about myself, but that is a story only God could be the author of.” said Jelly Roll. “Some stories only God can write. This is truly a God story. I talk a lot more about him now because I'm getting a lot closer to him and I recognize that. I don’t deserve this, I don’t deserve the grace God gave me, but I think that's the best part, right? And yet he gives it all the time.”
The night closed with Jelly Roll and Wilson performing their emotional duet Save Me.
From Nashville’s juvenile system to the Opry stage, Jelly Roll’s journey has officially come full circle.
