Jelly Roll Turns His Tennessee Farm Into a Place of Healing and Redemption

From Rock Bottom to Redemption

Before becoming one of country music’s most beloved stars, Jelly Roll — born Jason DeFord in Antioch, Tennessee — lived a life marked by addiction, incarceration, and pain.

He began selling drugs as a teenager and spent nearly a decade in and out of jail. But behind bars, he discovered music — and, with it, a glimmer of hope.

“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, and Jelly Roll has become a symbol of redemption and raw honesty. But now, he’s channeling that same spirit into something far beyond music.

“The Field of Grace”: A Farm Built for Healing

In an emotional interview with American Songwriter on October 17, Jelly Roll revealed plans to transform part of his Tennessee property into a mental health and addiction recovery center called “The Field of Grace.”

“I believe in the healing power of music,” he shared. “But I want to do more than sing about it — I want to help people live through it.”

The center will offer therapy, community support, and creative recovery programs — including a small recording studio where residents can write and share their stories through music. Partnering with local charities and medical organizations, Jelly Roll hopes the space will become a lasting refuge for those seeking a way out of darkness.

A Mission Born from Pain

The idea came to him one quiet evening on the farm — land he once viewed as a symbol of success.

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

Having battled addiction from age 14 and fought his way back to sobriety, Jelly Roll says the project isn’t about charity — it’s about atonement.

“You don’t forget the faces of the people you left behind,” he reflected. “The ones who didn’t make it out.”

Faith, Family, and Second Chances

Jelly Roll credits his wife Bunnie XO and his fans for helping him find strength and purpose. Through songs like “Save Me” and “Need a Favor,” he’s turned confession into connection — giving hope to millions who’ve struggled like he once did.

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

Fans Call It His ‘Real Legacy’

News of The Field of Grace spread quickly, with hashtags like #JellyRollHeals and #FieldOfGrace trending on X (formerly Twitter).

Fans praised the move as “the truest redemption story in country music.” One wrote, “He’s doing what most artists only sing about,” while another added, “He’s proof that no matter how lost you are, you can still come home.”

Even fellow artists like Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson have privately expressed their support.

Building Bridges, Not Headlines

Jelly Roll insists the project isn’t for publicity. He’s already funding construction himself and partnering with counselors, therapists, and reformed former inmates to bring it to life.

“If one kid doesn’t pick up a needle because of this,” he said, “then every brick is worth it.”

“You can’t teach compassion,” he added. “But you can live it.”

From Bars to Bridges

In a poetic full-circle moment, the man who once sat behind prison bars now uses the “bars” in his songs — and soon, the walls of his center — to build bridges of hope.

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

For the fans who’ve watched him rise, this isn’t just another success story — it’s proof that redemption isn’t something you earn once; it’s something you give every day.