Jelly Roll (Jason DeFord) served time in jail primarily for a series of drug-related charges and a 2003 robbery conviction, starting at age 14. Convicted of felony robbery as a teen, he later served time for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. He received a pardon in December 2025.
The Tennessee Board of Parole unanimously recommending the governor pardon Jelly Roll whose legal name is Jason DeFord. Jelly Roll has been open about the time he served for convictions ranging from a robbery when he was 17 to drug charges when he was twenty-three.
Born Jason Bradley DeFord in Nashville in 1984, a tumultuous upbringing led Jelly Roll to an early life of crime that landed him in jail before he could even graduate high school. He was first imprisoned at age 14, and welcomed his first child while still behind bars.
Jelly Roll has been very open about his own struggles with drug and alcohol abuse when he was younger, so when he saw someone who had stayed sober for so long, he made sure to take a moment to celebrate them. Watch the special moment >> https://go.countryrebel. com/jelly-roll-fan-sober. Over 6000 days not a single slip ...
His journey through struggles with addiction and mental health resonates deeply with fans who see their own stories reflected in his art. Interestingly enough, the tattoo serves as both a badge of honor for overcoming adversity and a reminder of past pain—a duality that mirrors much of what he expresses in song.
Jelly Roll on Prison Fights and an Arrest Story He’s Never Told Before
Why was Jelly Roll canceled?
"We regret to announce the Jelly Roll Down Under 2025 Tour tonight at The Outer Fields at Western Springs in Auckland will no longer go ahead due to illness," a statement from Live Nation read. "All ticket holders will receive an automatic full refund.
Jelly Roll has been married once, to his wife Alisa "Bunnie XO" DeFord, whom he wed in a spontaneous Las Vegas courthouse ceremony in August 2016, and they renewed their vows in 2023.
"I lost 200 pounds. I told coach I'm getting a contract if I lose another 50," he said. The last weight loss update Jelly Roll shared came on April 9 during a conversation with Pat McAfee during his Big Night Aht live show. “I started at 540 pounds and I was 357 pounds this morning,” Jelly Roll said.
Country singer Jelly Roll admitted to cheating on his wife, Bunnie XO, calling it one of the worst moments of his adulthood. The couple, who married in 2016, worked to repair their relationship and are now stronger than ever.
Bunnie said she started getting “really weird headaches” in March, which led her to see a neurologist and get an Mri. “When I got these test results back, they said that they spotted an aneurysm on my carotid artery,” she wrote. The doctors then ordered a Ct scan with contrast.
The musician didn't get to meet his daughter, whom he welcomed with his ex Felicia Beckwith, until he was released from prison. Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO have now had full custody of Bailee since 2017.
Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason Bradley DeFord, was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on December 4, 1984, and grew up in the city's Antioch neighborhood. His father, Horace “Buddy” DeFord, ran a wholesale meat business and had a side hustle as a bookie.
The couple married in 2016, and while they do not have biological children together, they are raising Jelly Roll's son Noah Buddy and daughter Bailee Ann from previous relationships.
Jelly Roll's most serious convictions include a robbery at age 17 and drug charges at 23. In the first case, a female acquaintance helped Jelly Roll and two armed accomplices steal $350 from people in a home in 2002. Because the victims knew the female acquaintance, she and Jelly Roll were arrested right away.
Jelly Roll lost a significant amount of weight (around 275 pounds) through major lifestyle changes, focusing on consistent walking, a high-protein diet, boxing, basketball, and therapy, supported by nutritionists and trainers, replacing old tour habits of drugs/alcohol with healthy activities like drinking water and cold plunging. He battled food addiction and shifted his tour culture to support fitness, achieving results without weight-loss drugs but with significant professional help and commitment to daily habits,.
"URGENT UPDATE: Panic swept through a packed Nashville arena as world-renowned music phenomenon Jelly Roll collapsed mid-performance. Fellow legendary musician Lainey Wilson rushed to his side as the crowd watched in stunned silence.
