HH. He Once Sold Drugs Behind Bars — Now Jelly Roll Is Turning His Tennessee Farm Into a Healing Center for the Broken
Once, Jelly Roll’s life was a cycle of drugs, jail time, and regret.
Now, the same man who once hustled behind bars is using his hard-won second chance to build something truly extraordinary — a place designed to heal others who are still trapped in the same darkness he escaped.
From Rock Bottom to Redemption
Born Jason DeFord in Antioch, Tennessee, Jelly Roll has never shied away from his past.
He began selling drugs as a teenager, was arrested multiple times, and spent nearly a decade in and out of jail.
Music was the only thing that offered him a glimpse of redemption — and, eventually, a purpose.
“I started rapping behind bars,” he once told American Songwriter.
“Music gave me hope when I didn’t think I’d ever deserve any.”
Fast-forward to 2025: Jelly Roll is now one of country music’s most beloved crossover artists, a symbol of raw honesty and survival.
But this week, he announced something that goes far beyond fame, awards, or chart-topping hits.
A Farm Built for Healing
In a heartfelt interview with American Songwriter on October 17, Jelly Roll revealed plans to transform part of his Tennessee farm into a mental health and addiction recovery center.
“I believe in the healing power of music,” he said.
“But I want to do more than sing about it — I want to help people live through it.”
The facility will focus on rehabilitation through therapy, music programs, and community support, built in partnership with local charities and medical organizations.
It’s not just a celebrity donation or a one-off event; it’s a permanent, long-term project rooted in the same soil where Jelly Roll rebuilt his own life.
He calls it “The Field of Grace.”
A Mission Born From Pain
The idea, Jelly Roll explained, came during a quiet evening on the farm — a place that once symbolized success but had begun to feel incomplete.
“I looked around and realized — this land changed my life.
Now it’s time it changes someone else’s.”
He knows exactly what that struggle feels like.
By his own admission, he began using drugs at age 14, battled addiction for most of his twenties, and didn’t truly begin recovery until his early thirties.
“You don’t forget the faces of the people you left behind,” he said softly.
“The ones who didn’t make it out.”
For him, the center isn’t charity — it’s atonement.
Faith, Family, and Second Chances
Jelly Roll credits much of his turnaround to his wife, Bunnie XO, and the community of fans who embraced his vulnerability instead of judging his past.
Through his lyrics, like in “Save Me” and “Need a Favor”, he’s turned confession into connection, reminding millions that broken people can still do beautiful things.
Now, he wants to offer that same grace to others — not just through a song, but through a safe space.
The planned facility will include a small music studio for residents to write, sing, and record their stories, mirroring the way Jelly Roll found purpose through art.
“Sometimes,” he said, “you don’t need a therapist first — you need a microphone.”
Fans Call It His ‘Real Legacy’
The announcement immediately went viral on social media.
On X (formerly Twitter), hashtags like #JellyRollHeals and #FieldOfGrace trended within hours.
Fans praised the move as “the truest redemption story in country music,” while others shared personal messages of gratitude.
“He’s the proof that no matter how lost you are, you can still come home,” one fan wrote.
Another said:
“He’s doing what most artists only sing about.”
Even fellow musicians — including Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson — reportedly reached out privately to offer support.
More Than a Headline
Jelly Roll insists this isn’t a publicity stunt or a temporary PR move.
He’s already funding early stages of construction himself, promising transparency and long-term commitment.
“If one kid doesn’t pick up a needle because of this,” he said, “then every brick is worth it.”
He’s also collaborating with mental health professionals, addiction counselors, and former inmates who’ve since turned their lives around — the very people he believes can make the biggest impact.
“You can’t teach compassion,” he added. “But you can live it.”
From Bars to Bridges
In many ways, Jelly Roll’s story feels like a full circle — from the literal bars of a prison cell to the metaphorical bars of the songs that now save lives.
His music may have healed him, but this next step could heal thousands more.
“I built a career on pain,” he said. “Now I’m building a place where pain doesn’t have the last word.”
For the fans who’ve followed his journey from struggle to stage, this project isn’t just another milestone — it’s proof that redemption isn’t something you earn once.
It’s something you give away every day.
