Country superstar Jerry Roll wants to share his redeeming message with others looking for a second chance, but says he has a barrier in his way.
The 40-year-old told the Tennessee parole board that his criminal history under his birth name, Jason Deford, complicates his ability to travel and perform internationally.
On Tuesday, the board voted to encourage singers to pardon. In the end, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee makes the final decision. A spokesperson told CBS News that the governor would follow a “comprehensive review process,” adding that he would announce a pardon every year in December.
Davidson County Sheriff Darron Hall, who has known Jelly Rolls for many years, provided a letter of assistance in his pardon application.
“I’m a red sucker,” Hall said. “I think he has a life-changing opportunity that none of us who don’t believe in professionals, and none of us who signed up to do this for our careers.”
What did Jelly Roll offer prison time for?
The lyrics to Jelly Roll’s hit song come from personal experiences in drugs, crime, prison time, and addictive family history. From the age of 14, Jerry Roll has been in and out of prison for 10 years of drug possession, trade, shoplifting and worsening.
He spoke last year about his path to success on “Sunday Morning” from his old cell at the Nashville county detention facility.
“This is a prison. It’s everyone I’ve ever been,” he said. “It’s cool to see vulnerabilities like that and I think we can all grow together.”
Jelly Roll has been an example for others by using his platform regularly. At the 2024 CMT Music Awards, he coordinated his message to a young man in juvenile detention, telling the crowd, “It’s important to stand up here tonight and represent those looking for a second chance.”
The next day, he spoke about the moment as co-host of Gayle King on “CBS Mornings,” saying, “For them all, change is round the corner. I really believe it. I’m as typical as I can.”
He was assigned to speak and perform in prisons around the country, defending fentanyl victims and testifying on Capitol Hill to hold him accountable for his past.
“I was part of the problem,” he said in his 2024 testimony. “I’m standing now as someone who wants to be part of the solution.”
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