Jelly Roll has had quite the journey in the music industry, but there are parts of his past that still linger in his thoughts. In a recent heart-to-heart on Jay Shetty’s podcast, the country artist opened up about his run-ins with the law and the incident that shaped his early years.
Reflecting on his past mistakes and the crime he committed as a young “bigger kid,” Jelly Roll, also known as Jason Bradley DeFord, acknowledged that he carried a bit of a chip on his shoulder in his youth. Growing up in Antioch, Tennessee—a vibrant but challenging neighborhood—he found solace and acceptance in the streets.
Recalling a scuffle with another kid, he vividly described a time when chain wallets were all the rage. “I grabbed a chain wallet during our scuffle, and that landed me in a strong-arm robbery case,” Jelly Roll recounted. This event led to a 20-month stint in the system when he was just 13, booked for the robbery.
Despite the years that have passed, the weight of his past actions still weighs heavily on him, a sentiment he shared with Shetty during their conversation. “I’m ashamed to talk about it. I was a troubled soul well into my 30s and a downright unruly kid even into my mid-20s,” Bradley DeFord confessed.
He reminisced about encounters where people praised him as the kindest person they’d ever met, unaware of his tumultuous past. Seeking redemption, Jelly Roll expressed his desire to reconcile with the person he wronged. He also spoke about his teenage daughter, Bailee Ann, who he hopes will embody everything he wasn’t in his own youth.
As a proud father of two, including Noah, Jelly Roll continues to tour and share his music with audiences across the country. Join him on his ongoing Beautifully Broken tour to experience his raw talent and heartfelt lyrics up close.
