Jelly Roll Celebrates His Nashville Heritage During Grand Ole Opry Member Induction with Lainey Wilson, ERNEST and More
Jelly Roll Celebrates His Nashville Heritage During Grand Ole Opry Member Induction with Lainey Wilson, ERNEST and More
Chris BarillaThu, March 12, 2026 at 1:10 AM UTC
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Jelly Roll Celebrates His Nashville Heritage During Grand Ole Opry Member Induction with Lainey Wilson, ERNEST and More -
Jelly Roll was officially inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in a special celebration at The Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville on Tuesday, March 10
To honor the "Save Me" singer, Lainey Wilson, ERNEST, Leanne Morgan and Craig Morgan were tapped as performers
"I didn't find Nashville because of country music, y'all. I found country music because of Nashville, because I'm from here," Jelly explained in his acceptance speech
Jelly Roll is officially a member of the Grand Ole Opry!
On Tuesday, March 10, the "Son of a Sinner" singer, 41, was present at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville to perform and accept his induction into country music's most sacred institution, making him only the 77th active member currently in the Opry's member roster.
To welcome Jelly — real name Jason DeFord — to the prestigious, small group of Opry mainstays, Lainey Wilson, ERNEST, Leanne Morgan and Craig Morgan were tapped to perform alongside the Grammy-winning star. Speaking specifically about the musicians included, each has played a significant role in Jelly's ascension to stardom over the last half-decade.
ERNEST and Jelly Roll in Nashville on March 10, 2026Credit: Grand Ole Opry/Chris Hollo
For ERNEST's part, he helped pen Jelly's first ever No. 1 hit on country radio, "Son of a Sinner," which catapulted the latter to the pinnacle of country music stardom. During the March 10 induction, ERNEST honored his friend by performing a medley of hits, including his and Jelly's aforementioned chart-topper.
In a loving moment, Jelly told the "Lorelei" singer that "you are truly one of the most talented songwriters ever" to a thunderous round of applause from the crowd.
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Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson in Nashville on March 10, 2026Credit: Grand Ole Opry/Chris Hollo
Wilson's role in Jelly's career cannot be understated, either, having joined him on a collaborative version of his hit "Save Me," which dominated country radio and award shows throughout 2023 and 2024.
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During his induction, Jelly lauded Wilson, a fellow Opry member, sharing, "You took a song that saved millions of people and you helped it saved millions more, Lainey. So many more people found this song because of you." The two stars then energized the crowd with a duet performance of their track.
Leanne Morgan, Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, Craig Morgan and ERNEST joined by guests at the Grand Ole Opry on Tuesday, March 10Credit: Grand Ole Opry/Chris Hollo
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As for the musically inclined Morgan, Jelly made it known that he first had his eyes opened to the world of country by being exposed to his early 2000s hits while he was incarcerated. As a whole, he lauded the "Redneck Yacht Club" creator as the catalyst behind his early shift away from rap music.
Before handing Jelly his induction award, Wilson commended his journey in both life and country music. "Tonight, we are welcoming a man who has never been afraid to tell the truth about his life, and that is powerful," she said. "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."
Jelly Roll at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville on March 10Credit: Grand Ole Opry/Chris Hollo
After accepting his induction from Wilson, Jelly took time to explain just how important the honor is to him.
"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 that'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. And every word of that I said sounded like I was telling you a lot about myself, but that is a story that only God could be the author of."
Aside from his career-defining Opry membership coming to fruition, Jelly has a full docket for 2026. He is currently gearing up for THE LITTLE ASS SHED TOUR with Kashus Culpepper, as well as a continuation of THE BIG ASS STADIUM TOUR with Post Malone and Carter Faith, which run relatively in tandem between April and July 2026, hitting major cities across the U.S. and Canada.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
