From Bars to Bridges: How Jelly Roll Is Turning His Tennessee Farm Into a Healing Center for the Broken

“I built a career on pain. Now I’m building a place where pain doesn’t have the last word.” – Jelly Roll

 A Redemption Story Like No Other

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 extraordinary — a place designed to heal others still trapped in the darkness he escaped.

Born Jason DeFord in Antioch, Tennessee, Jelly Roll never hid 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 told American Songwriter.
“Music gave me hope when I didn’t think I’d ever deserve any.”

From Pain to Purpose

Fast-forward to 2025 — Jelly Roll stands as one of country music’s most beloved crossover artists, a symbol of raw honesty and survival.
But this time, his announcement wasn’t about fame, awards, or chart-topping hits.

In an emotional interview with American Songwriter on October 17, he 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, in partnership with local charities and medical organizations.

@officialjellyroll

I couldnt control my emotions

♬ original sound – Jelly Roll

 A Mission Born From Pain

The idea came to him during a quiet evening on his farm — a place that once symbolized success but began to feel incomplete.

“I looked around and realized — this land changed my life.
Now it’s time it changes someone else’s.”

This isn’t a one-time donation or a publicity move. It’s a long-term project rooted in the same soil where Jelly Roll rebuilt his life.
He calls it “The Field of Grace.”

Faith, Family & Second Chances

Jelly Roll credits much of his turnaround to his wife, Bunnie XO, and the fans who embraced his vulnerability instead of judging his past.

By his own admission, he began using drugs at 14, battled addiction through most of his twenties, and didn’t find true recovery until his 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, this new center isn’t charity — it’s redemption turned outward.

 More Than a Headline

Jelly Roll is already funding the early stages of construction himself, promising full 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.”

Even country stars like Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson have reportedly reached out to offer support.
As one fan put it:

“He’s doing what most artists only sing about.”

 Fans Call It His “Real Legacy”

Within hours, the announcement went viral. Hashtags like #JellyRollHeals and #FieldOfGrace trended across social media.
Fans praised it as “the truest redemption story in country music.”

“He’s the proof that no matter how lost you are, you can still come home,” one fan wrote.

 Healing Through Music

Through songs like “Save Me” and “Need a Favor,” Jelly Roll turned confession into connection, proving that broken people can still create something beautiful.
Now, he wants to extend that same grace beyond music — into real lives.

The facility will include a small recording studio for residents to write, sing, and record their own stories.

“Sometimes,” he said, “you don’t need a therapist first — you need a microphone.”

He’s collaborating with mental health professionals, addiction counselors, and former inmates who turned their lives around — the same kind of 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 has come full circle — from the literal bars of a prison cell to the musical bars of songs that now save lives.

“I built a career on pain,” he said. “Now I’m building a place where pain doesn’t have the last word.”

His music may have healed him, but this next step could heal thousands more.
For fans who’ve followed his journey from struggle to stage, this isn’t just another milestone — it’s proof that redemption isn’t something you earn once… it’s something you give away every day.

 The Field of Grace: Where Hope Lives

“The Field of Grace” isn’t just a project. It’s a heartbeat — a living symbol of what can happen when brokenness meets purpose.
It’s the sound of a man who turned his wounds into wings… and now, he’s teaching others how to fly.