NASHVILLE, TN — Country music singer Jelly Roll received one heck of a favor this week as he was pardoned by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee for his past criminal actions. Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason Deford, had several run-ins with the law prior to becoming an international superstar.
He was convicted in 2002 of robbery after he and others stole $350 from someone. Six years later, he was caught with marijuana and crack cocaine in his possession.
Jelly Roll has often spoke about the mistakes he made and how he found his love for writing music while incarcerated. While speaking with the parole board last year, Jelly Roll said discovering songwriting “would end up changing my life in ways that I never dreamed imaginable.”
Now that he has a public platform, Jelly Roll has tried to use it to encourage others not to make the same mistakes he did.
Lee said he granted the pardon after receiving an outpouring of support from Jelly Roll’s friends and civic leaders, the Associated Press reported.
“His story is remarkable, and it’s a redemptive, powerful story, which is what you look for and what you hope for,” Lee said.
In Tennessee, pardons are treated as a statement of forgiveness for someone who has already completed a prison sentence. The pardon allows the person to regain certain civil rights lost when they were convicted.
For Jelly Roll, the pardon will make it easier for him to tour internationally and to perform Christian missionary work. The “I Am Not Okay” singer went through the same process as the other 32 people who also received pardons Thursday. That included a monthslong review conducted by the state parole board.
The board eventually voted unanimously to recommend Jelly Roll for a pardon.
