Jelly Roll Announces Debut Full-Length Country Album, ‘WHITSITT CHAPEL’
“This album is about growth and gratitude happening in my life.,” Jelly Roll explained.
Jelly Roll; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Hot on the heels of his CRS New Faces showcase performance at the 2023 Country Radio Seminar, Jelly Roll has unveiled details about his highly anticipated new album, WHITSITT CHAPEL.
Arriving on June 2, the project is named after the church the Antioch native grew up attending and will feature 13 tracks.
WHITSITT CHAPEL serves as Jelly Roll’s debut full-length country record via BMG/Stoney Creek Records. Among the tracks featured will be his current single, “Need A Favor.”
Listen To “Need A Favor”
Written by Jelly Roll, Austin Nivarel, Joe Ragosta and Rob Ragosta, “Need A Favor” was released to country radio in mid-February. The song details the story of a character who turns to prayer as he’s trying to convince his love interest to stick around. He realizes that he doesn’t necessarily deserve the favor, but he’s willing to do whatever it takes at this defining moment in his life.
“I only talk to God when I need a favor / And I only pray when I ain’t got a prayer / So, who the hell am I, who the hell am I / To expect a Savior, oh / If I only talk to God when I need a favor / But God, I need a favor / Amen, amen,” he sings on the chorus.
Jelly Roll teased the announcement earlier this week when he showcased images of the Whitsitt Chapel outdoor sign that included song lyrics from current and unreleased tracks from the project. The complete track listing will be revealed at a later date.
Album Art Revealed
“This album is about growth and gratitude happening in my life. I wanted to create a project that felt hopeful. I believe the worst feeling a person can have is feeling hopeless or worthless. This is therapeutic music. Real music for real people with real problems,” Jelly Roll shared in a statement.
The weeks leading up to Jelly Roll’s album announcement have been monumental for Jelly Roll. The genre-bending star recently played a sold-out hometown show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena for over 16,000 fans. He also made his Grand Ole Opry debut, scored his first No.1 at country radio, a two-week No.1 at rock radio, and made Billboard chart history with a record-breaking 25 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s all-genre Emerging Artists chart.
The 38-year-old hitmaker will soon take his new album on the road.
2023 Tour
Jelly Roll recently announced his massive 44-date headlining arena tour, Backroad Baptism Tour.
Hosted by Josh Adam Meyers, the Backroad Baptism Tour kicks off on Friday, July 28 at Bank Plus Amphitheater in Southhaven, Mississippi and run through Saturday, October 14, where the trek will wrap up in Tampa, Florida at MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre.
“The Backroad Baptism Tour is a big one for me, y’all! I’m bringing my friends out on the road this summer, and I can’t wait to see every one of you mutherf***ers at a show,” Jelly Roll shared.
Ashley McBryde, Caitlynne Curtis, Chase Rice, Elle King, Merkules, Struggle Jennings, Three 6 Mafia, Yelawolf will serve as support on select dates of the tour.
In the midst of his headlining tour, Jelly Roll will also serve as support on several dates of Eric Church’s The Outsiders Revival Tour. Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, is also scheduled to perform at several upcoming festivals this year, including Tailgate N’ Tallboys Bloomington, Tailgate N’ Tallboys Clinton, TidalWave Music Festival, and more.
Additionally, Jelly Roll is currently a first-time nominee at the 2023 CMT Music Awards, where he is nominated for three awards, including Male Video Of The Year (“Son Of A Sinner”), Breakthrough Male Video Of The Year (“Son Of A Sinner”), CMT Digital-First Performance Of The Year (“Son Of A Sinner” – CMT All Access).
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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