Jelly Roll Inducted Into The Grand Ole Opry By Lainey Wilson In Emotional Ceremony
“I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve to be on this stage.”
Jelly Roll with Lainey Wilson; Photo © Grand Ole Opry, photos by Chris Hollo
Jelly Roll was officially inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on Tuesday evening, welcomed into the family by his longtime friend, collaborator, and fellow member, Lainey Wilson.
The multi-GRAMMY award winner was joined by Wilson as well as his friend and mentor, Opry member Craig Morgan, along with friends Leanne Morgan and ERNEST during the celebration, making it a truly memorable night in his career.
The evening also included several deeply meaningful guests in the crowd. Among them were Sheriff Daron Hall and Davidson County Juvenile Correctional Professional Yolanda Hockett, two people who played a pivotal role in Jelly Roll’s life during his time at a local juvenile detention center. Members of the Judge Dinkins Educational Center, an organization he now partners with to uplift underserved youth, were also in attendance. He made sure to recognize them all from the stage, while also sharing a special moment with his mom, who sat proudly in the front row seeing him perform at the Opry for the very first time.
Following performances of some of his biggest hits, like “Liar” and “Need A Favor,” Wilson returned to the stage to welcome Jelly Roll into the Opry family. She reflected on his journey in country music and praised him for being a voice for so many people who feel like they don’t have one.
“This is such an honor for me to be able to do this for you tonight,” Wilson began. “There are some people in this business who are great singers. There are some people in this business who are great songwriters and storytellers. And then every once in a while, somebody comes along who is something even bigger than that. They’re a voice for people who feel like they don’t have one.”
She went on to explain that with Jelly Roll, what you see is what you get and applauded him for being a man of faith.
“That’s exactly who Jelly Roll is. And if you ever met Jelly Roll, the guy who stood on this stage tonight is the same one that’s backstage, the same man at the grocery store. He’s the same man talking to the fans that needed to hear that they were not beyond saving. And I just want to say your love for Jesus Christ radiates from you and I’m just so proud of you. I’m so proud to watch your journey. It is inspiring. It really is inspiring,” she said. “Country music has always been about telling stories, telling the truth, the good, the bad, the ugly, the messy. It’s about redemption. And tonight we are welcoming a man who has never been afraid to tell the truth about his life and that is powerful. He turned pain into purpose, mistakes into music and somehow managed to make millions of people feel like they were just a little less alone. And I’m so proud to know you. I’m so proud to call you my friend. Jelly Roll, because of your heart, your story, and the way that you have used your voice to lift everybody up, it is my honor to welcome you into the Grand Ole Opry family.”
The platinum-selling star stepped into the Opry Circle and delivered a message of faith and gratitude.
“To take a convicted felon from Music City, who found country music. I didn’t find Nashville because of country music, y’all. I found country music because of Nashville, because I’m from here. And you take that kid that’s been in that local juvenile with Ms. Hockett, it’s been in that local county jail with Sheriff Hall, and you bring him here and you give him Grammys, you give him awards, platinum plaques, and you make him a member of the most prestigious group. Less than 230 people are members of the Grand Ole Opry, y’all,” he shared from the stage.
“Every word that I said sounded like I was telling you a lot about myself, but that is a story that only God can be the author of. Some stories only God can write, this is truly one of those stories..I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve to be on this stage. I don’t deserve the grace that God gave me, but I think that’s the best part. None of us do, right? And yet he gives it all the time. 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can show up on his doorstep with all of your problems. You can have your own relationship with him. You don’t have to listen to the judgmental Christians about how you’re living your life. You can reach your own Bible and you can have your own relationship with Jesus. Amen!”
Following the presentation, Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson joined forces to close out the Opry show with a performance of their chart-topping duet, “Save Me,” bringing the curtain down on an incredible evening.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
You may also like
Country Next
Playlist
On Repeat
Get the latest country music news delivered straight to your inbox.
