Additional Coverage:
- Jelly Roll wins support of Tennessee parole board as he fights to receive full pardon for convictions (foxnews.com)
Nashville Musician Jelly Roll Closer to Pardon
Nashville, TN – Musician Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, is one step closer to receiving a full pardon for past convictions. The Tennessee Board of Parole unanimously voted to recommend the pardon following a 45-minute hearing featuring testimony from several witnesses, including Nashville Sheriff Daron Hall. The final decision now rests with Governor Bill Lee.
DeFord, 40, has been open about his past struggles with the law, including convictions for drug possession, drug dealing, shoplifting, and aggravated robbery. He spent time in juvenile detention and in and out of prison as a young man. Since then, he has turned his life around, achieving sobriety, earning his GED, and rediscovering his faith.
DeFord’s music career took off in 2021 with the release of his album “Ballad of the Broken.” He regularly gives back to the community by performing in prisons and rehabilitation centers, feeding the homeless, and donating to at-risk youth. He explained to the parole board that songwriting began as a therapeutic exercise during his incarceration and blossomed into a life-changing career.
A key motivation for seeking the pardon, DeFord explained, is to expand his charitable work and message of redemption internationally. Travel restrictions due to his criminal record create significant obstacles, often requiring extensive legal work and paperwork even for trips to Canada and the UK, which he recently completed. DeFord hopes to continue his work on a global scale, particularly focusing on missionary work later in life.
“I want to be an inspiration for people who are now where I used to be,” DeFord told the board. “One of the reasons I’m asking for your recommendation for this pardon is because I’m looking to take my message of redemption through the power of music and faith through the rest of the world.”