Jelly Roll reveals she was court-ordered to attend Alcoholics Anonymous at just 14

Jelly roll has revealed that he was court-ordered to start attending Alcoholics Anonymous at just 14 years old.

The 39-year-old country megastar, born Jason Bradley DeFord, once again got candid about his struggles with addiction and a criminal past that includes some 40 arrests, most of them on drug-related charges when he was young man

In his latest interview on the promotional tour for his new studio album – titled Beautifully Broken – the country singer and rapper admitted that he was just a teenager when a judge “ordered” him to attend his first 12 step meeting. .

“Oh my God, I don’t completely remember my first real meeting because I was court ordered at 14,” the Grammy winner told host Ania Hammar during an episode of The SiriusXM Road.

‘I don’t remember it as much as I should. But I definitely remember the first time I found solace in those rooms, or the first time I was introduced to the concept of it,” the country star explained. “And how many things I got out of those rooms.”

Jelly Roll, 39, has revealed he was court-ordered to start attending Alcoholics Anonymous aged just 14.

The Antioch, Tenn., native added that he had “never been more inspired” than when he “walked out of an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting or a Narcotics Anonymous meeting.”

“I think everyone should experience one if you’ve never had a drink in your life,” the Somebody Save Me singer said during the interview.

Jelly believes that almost everyone can take something from an AA and NA 12-step meeting, as a way to learn from it for their own lives.

“I still think there’s something about it that is, you know, that good people are like good theater,” he continued. “You’ll be listened to, you’ll learn, you’ll laugh and you’ll cry.”

His experiences with drug and alcohol use, as well as the times he learned a thing or two at an NA and AA meeting, helped inspire his lead single, I Am Not Okay from his tenth studio album, Beautifully Broken.

He also has another song from the new album, Winning Streak, which was actually inspired by AA and NA.

“It was very difficult for me to get away from these drugs,” he said during an interview with The New York Times over the summer. “Something I do (to) maintain my relationship with these drugs is that I will continue to attend the meetings, even though I’m not a textbook sober guy, but I never share, I sit quietly and appreciate the message and meaning”.

To mark the launch, Jelly took to his Instagram page and shared a video of himself behind the wheel of his car with friends in the back seat.

Jelly, who has two collaborations with MGK on the new album, told Ania Hammar during an episode of SiriusXM’s The Highway, “Oh my God, I don’t completely remember my first real meeting because I got a court order like at age 14. But I definitely remember the first time I found comfort in those rooms, or the first time I was introduced to the concept of it.

The rapper-singer took to Instagram to celebrate the release of his 10th studio album, Beautifully Broken: ‘I’m nervous but excited’

“We’re gonna release an album. It’s happening to everybody,” a outgoing Jelly said at the top of the clip. “Beautifully Broken is out tonight man,” he said Friday. ‘Man, album nights are always big nights for us. I’m nervous and that’s why I ramble.”

“I’m nervous but excited,” reiterated the father-of-two, before taking pride in his part in helping to raise a lot of money for the charity recently.

“By the way, we raised $850,000 for charity with the presale. Thank you all, that’s almost a million dollars man. I can’t even begin to think about what’s going on this year. Thank you all, honestly ” he said as he turned to the camera.

Beginning his career in 2003, Jelly bounced around the southern rap circuit for years, but it wasn’t until he made some changes to his music to add more country elements to his songwriting that he saw his race increased.

He would rise to popular prominence following the release of his singles Son Of A Sinner and Need A Favor.

The singer/rapper was inspired to go in a more country direction after seeing the success of Son Of A Sinner on his album Ballads Of The Broken (2021), which reached the top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100 but reached number 1 on the Country Airplay chart.

Beautifully Broken features the single I Am Not Okay, as well as collaborations with Machine Gun Kelly, Halsey, Keith Urban, Ernest, Skylar Grey, Russ and Ilsey

The singer and rapper shares about the idea behind the album art on Instagram

The deluxe version of Jelly Roll’s Beautifully Broken album has five additional tracks

It was this success that gave him the idea to take on a full country sound for his ninth album, Whitsitt Chapel (2023), featuring the singles Need A Favor, Save Me with Lainey Wilson and Halfway to Hell.

He described his previous album as “real music for real people with real problems” and “about growth and gratitude happening in my life”, while stating that he wanted to “create a project that felt hopeful”.

Just a look at his various album titles throughout his career: Sobriety Sucks (2016), Addiction Kills (2017), Whiskey Sessions II (2019), A Beautiful Disaster (2020), Self Medicated (2020) ) and Ballads of the Broken (2020) 2021), and it’s easy to see that he really wears his emotions on his sleeve and in his music.

The new album Beautifully Broken (2024) surely increases the consistency of his subject matter in his lyrics which also offers a positive vibe.

“I’d like you all to meet ‘Beautifully Broken (Pickin’ Up The Pieces)’, the luxury that adds 5 more songs,” the rapper shared on social media on Friday.

Beginning his career in 2003, Jelly Roll bounced around the Southern rap circuit for years, but it wasn’t until he made some changes to his music to add more country elements to his songwriting that he saw the his career rising in 2021 and beyond; he is seen performing in September.

“The idea behind this artwork comes from a Japanese practice called kintsugi. The idea is that if something is broken, and it’s worth fixing, you fix it by filling the cracks with gold. Honestly, I don’t think anything better personify this album”.

That incredible year that Jelly referred to ended with a number of awards and accolades, including three CMT Music Awards for Male Video of the Year, Male Breakthrough Video of the Year and First Performance CMT Digital of the Year for Son Of A Sinner. .

He also won New Artist of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards last November.

Jelly Roll has been married to his wife Alyssa DeFord, known as “Bunnie XO”, since 2016.