Jerry Roll may soon see his criminal history wiped clean.
On Tuesday, the Tennessee parole board unanimously recommended pardons for rapper-turned country music performers.
The Board's actions leave a final decision on pardon to Governor Bill Lee.
Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason Deford, has never avoided discussing the time he spent in prison on robbery and drug charges and the work he did to overcome his troubled past.
Now, the 40-year-old singer hopes to be able to travel internationally to execute and share his red essay message, and will be the first step towards achieving that dream.
The Parole Board issued a unanimous, non-binding recommendation after a hearing that lasted about an hour and 45 minutes with several witnesses, including Nashville Sheriff Darron Hall, defending musicians. One board member refused to vote.
Jerry Roll infiltrated country music with his 2023 album Whitzit Chapel and crossover songs like Needs A Favor. He has won multiple CMT awards, a CMA award, and four Grammy Award nominations, including the new Artist of the Year.
Speaking to reporters about his recommendations on Tuesday's pardon, he said, “This was incredible. I hope it passes, but today was special to me.
Last year, Jerry Roll gave strong testimony about the US fentanyl crisis, telling lawmakers he wants to be “part of the solution” to the opioid crisis.
“In every concert I play, I witness the heartbreaking effects of fentanyl. I see fans tackling this tragedy in the form of music… They seek the comfort of music and hope that their experiences will not befall others,” he said.
“These are the people I'm here. It's all. These people reassure that elected officials actually care more about human life than about ideology or partisanship.”
From the age of 14, he spent 10 years in detention for drug trafficking and other crimes, and spent time in prison for charges including possession with intent to rob and sell.
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His most serious beliefs include robbery at age 17 and drug charges at age 23. In the first case, a female acquaintance helped Jelly Roll and two other young men enter the house in 2002. They asked for money and received a wallet with no $350 and no money. The victim knew the woman's acquaintance, so she and Jerry Roll were quickly arrested. He was sentenced to serve a year and additional probation time in prison.
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In 2008, patrol police found both marijuana and crack cocaine in his car. He was sentenced to eight years of court-ordered supervision. He also has two misdemeanor crimes for driving without a license and possession of drug equipment.
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“I defeated the community. I hurt people,” he testified last year. “I was part of the problem. I'm standing now as someone who wants to be part of the solution.”
Recently, he often visited prisons and rehabilitation centres before performing concerts. He bought out restaurants for the day, fed the homeless people, and played basketball with the kids at the Youth Center the same day he played in Winnipeg. He said he generally does not seek news coverage when making these visits.
Republican Lee said all cases of generosity, such as amnesty, are equally important and go through a thorough process.
“Reporting about jelly rolls, that encourages his situation, but there are steps that have not yet happened in that case,” he told reporters Tuesday.
Jerry Roll told the board on Tuesday that he fell in love with songwriting while he was in detention center. “It will change my life in ways that I have never dreamed of, and in ways that I have never thought of,” he said. “It will change my life in ways that I have never thought of,” he said.
As part of his application for pardon, friends and civic leaders wrote to the board about Jerry Roll's transformation and generosity. Hall, who runs a prison in Nashville, writes that Jerry Roll woke up in one of the prisons he managed. Live Nation Entertainment CEO and President Michael Lapino also wrote in his favour, pointing out all the money he gave from his performance to the charity for risky youths.
– Use files from Associated Press
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