Nashville country artist Jelly Roll, born Jason DeFord, has been granted a pardon for his decades-old criminal convictions, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced Thursday.

The decision comes after the Tennessee Board of Parole unanimously recommended the pardon in April, following a nearly two-hour hearing in Nashville.

According to RollingStone, Governor Lee praised the singer's journey, calling it "remarkable, redemptive, and powerful," noting that Jelly Roll's story exemplifies the change the state hopes to recognize through clemency.

While the pardon does not completely erase his criminal record, it is an essential step toward expungement.

At 41, Jelly Roll described the pardon as both a personal milestone and a practical necessity for his career.

His past convictions had made it difficult for him to tour internationally and pursue other professional opportunities.

Performing outside the United States often meant navigating complicated legal paperwork and securing special permits, which had kept his music from reaching a wider global audience.

DeFord's legal issues date back to 2003, when he was convicted of unarmed robbery, and to 2008, when authorities discovered crack cocaine and marijuana in his car.

Since then, he has worked to turn his life around, frequently speaking to prisoners and juvenile offenders about rehabilitation, therapy, and finding creative outlets through music.

Jelly Roll's Pardon Highlights His Work with Inmates

He has also been active in programs such as Helping Addicts Recover Progressively, aiming to inspire change and encourage personal growth.

Jelly Roll first asked the Board of Parole for a pardon in 2024, expressing his hope to use his platform to inspire redemption and offer a message of hope, USA Today reported.

Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall, who once oversaw the singer's time behind bars, publicly backed the move, praising Jelly Roll's transformation and his ability to positively influence young people.

Hall has even worked alongside the artist on projects inside detention facilities, from concerts to songwriting programs for inmates, showing firsthand how music can make an impact.

The pardon is part of a wider clemency effort by Governor Lee, who on Thursday granted pardons to 33 people, including Jelly Roll.

Originally published on Music Times