Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Country Singer Jelly Roll Performs at Oregon Prison
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 8 months ago on
September 5, 2024

Country star Jelly Roll brings hope and music to Oregon State Penitentiary, performing for inmates in a rare prison concert. (AP File)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

SALEM — Country singer Jelly Roll has been playing sold-out shows across the U.S. as part of his “Beautifully Broken” tour. But earlier this week, his venue wasn’t a massive arena: it was the Oregon State Penitentiary.

The award-winning artist posted a video and photos of his visit to the Salem prison on Instagram, showing him singing a cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” and signing autographs for people incarcerated at the prison.

According to Jelly Roll, it was the first live music in the prison yard in 20 years.

Belief in Accountability and Love

“I am a firm believer that if we commit crimes we should do our time and be held accountable for our actions, but I also believe that every human deserves love no matter how bad of a decision they have made,” the 39-year-old wrote on Instagram.

Jelly Roll, who was incarcerated in his youth, said he wrote his first song while behind bars.

“It never feels better than to come back behind a wall and sing a song for y’all,” he told the crowd.

Music’s Impact on Inmates

His lyrics often touch on his troubled past and issues of addiction, and in his video from the prison, one man speaks about how Jelly Roll’s music changed his life.

“I heard ‘Save Me’ on the radio, and I got clean that day,” the man said, referring to a song on Jelly Roll’s most recent album.

Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, began his musical career as a rapper before becoming an acclaimed country artist. In 2023, he won New Artist of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards.

Bringing Light to Dark Places

“I remember being in a dark place and no one ever coming through and showing us any hope of changing the path of our lives,” he said. “It felt so good bringing a little light to such a dark place.”

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Grapevine Fire Forces Full Closure of Southbound I-5

DON'T MISS

Fresno’s New Economic Development Leader Has Boomtown Expertise

DON'T MISS

KMJ’s Ray Appleton Is Off the Air as He Deals With ‘Rare Condition’

DON'T MISS

Bakersfield Man Pleads Guilty to Aiming Laser at Sheriff’s Helicopter

DON'T MISS

Erika Sandoval Faces Life Sentence for Murder of Former Exeter Police Officer

DON'T MISS

US Car Prices Higher in April After Tariffs Hit

DON'T MISS

Fresno County School Boards Need Ethics Training: Grand Jury

DON'T MISS

Pentagon Halting Gender-Affirming Healthcare for Transgender Troops, Memo Says

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Traffic Stop Leads to $250K Cocaine Bust

DON'T MISS

Top Justice Department Official Is Now Also Acting Librarian of Congress

UP NEXT

Fresno’s New Economic Development Leader Has Boomtown Expertise

UP NEXT

KMJ’s Ray Appleton Is Off the Air as He Deals With ‘Rare Condition’

UP NEXT

Bakersfield Man Pleads Guilty to Aiming Laser at Sheriff’s Helicopter

UP NEXT

Erika Sandoval Faces Life Sentence for Murder of Former Exeter Police Officer

UP NEXT

US Car Prices Higher in April After Tariffs Hit

UP NEXT

Fresno County School Boards Need Ethics Training: Grand Jury

UP NEXT

Pentagon Halting Gender-Affirming Healthcare for Transgender Troops, Memo Says

UP NEXT

Fresno County Traffic Stop Leads to $250K Cocaine Bust

UP NEXT

Top Justice Department Official Is Now Also Acting Librarian of Congress

UP NEXT

Trump Tower Damascus? Syria Seeks to Charm US President for Sanctions Relief

Bakersfield Man Pleads Guilty to Aiming Laser at Sheriff’s Helicopter

2 hours ago

Erika Sandoval Faces Life Sentence for Murder of Former Exeter Police Officer

2 hours ago

US Car Prices Higher in April After Tariffs Hit

2 hours ago

Fresno County School Boards Need Ethics Training: Grand Jury

2 hours ago

Pentagon Halting Gender-Affirming Healthcare for Transgender Troops, Memo Says

2 hours ago

Fresno County Traffic Stop Leads to $250K Cocaine Bust

3 hours ago

Top Justice Department Official Is Now Also Acting Librarian of Congress

4 hours ago

Trump Tower Damascus? Syria Seeks to Charm US President for Sanctions Relief

4 hours ago

How Real ID Can Exclude ‘Real’ Americans From Flying, Voting and More

5 hours ago

Fresno Police Cite 140 During 10-Hour Weekend Operation

5 hours ago

Grapevine Fire Forces Full Closure of Southbound I-5

All lanes of southbound Interstate 5 at Grapevine Road were closed Monday afternoon as fire crews worked to extinguish a blaze in the area, ...

4 minutes ago

A fire has shut down all southbound lanes of I-5 at Grapevine Road on Monday, May 12, 2025, prompting major traffic delays as crews work to extinguish the flames. (CHP)
4 minutes ago

Grapevine Fire Forces Full Closure of Southbound I-5

33 minutes ago

Fresno’s New Economic Development Leader Has Boomtown Expertise

54 minutes ago

KMJ’s Ray Appleton Is Off the Air as He Deals With ‘Rare Condition’

photo of a green laser beam
2 hours ago

Bakersfield Man Pleads Guilty to Aiming Laser at Sheriff’s Helicopter

A Tulare County jury has convicted on Thursday, May 8. 2025, Erika Sandoval of first-degree murder in the 2015 shooting death of her ex-husband, former Exeter police officer Daniel Green. (Tulare County DA)
2 hours ago

Erika Sandoval Faces Life Sentence for Murder of Former Exeter Police Officer

2025 Buick Encore GX SUV's sit on the lot of a Buick GMC dealership in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., April 18, 2025. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File Photo
2 hours ago

US Car Prices Higher in April After Tariffs Hit

2 hours ago

Fresno County School Boards Need Ethics Training: Grand Jury

An U.S. flag is pictured on the arm of a soldier of the U.S. 2nd Cavalry Regiment as gear is prepared for deployment to Romania at Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany, February 9, 2022. REUTERS/Lukas Barth/File Photo
2 hours ago

Pentagon Halting Gender-Affirming Healthcare for Transgender Troops, Memo Says

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend