During a stop in Portland, Oregon, for his Beautifully Broken Tour, Jelly Roll made a special visit to the Oregon Penitentiary.
In an Instagram post, Jelly Roll shared that he and a friend had been planning the visit for months. Not only did he perform for the inmates, but he also spent time with them, signing autographs and chatting. In the post’s caption, accompanied by several photos from his visit to the prison, Jelly Roll expressed how honored he felt to be there.
“It felt so good bringing a little light to such a dark place,” Jelly Roll wrote. “I am a firm believer that if we commit crimes we should do our time and be held accountable for our actions , but I also believe that every human deserves love no matter how bad of a decision they have made. It felt good to go love on these guys.”
The moment was especially significant as it marked the first time live music had been played in the prison yard in over 20 years.
“I remember being in a dark place and no one ever coming through and showing us any hope of changing the path of our lives, if one inmate was inspired to do better by my presence yesterday it was worth my weight in gold to stop by and sing,” Jelly Roll added. “Thank you to the staff and especially the captains. It was chicken soup for the soul.”
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Jelly Roll has dedicated much of his time to giving back, and most recently, he helped launch a new youth center in Nashville, where he was once incarcerated.
In April, Jelly Roll co-funded and established a music studio at the Nashville Juvenile Detention Center, in hopes to give troubled youth a second chance to pursue their dreams of becoming musicians.
Then, in August, he helped launch Nashville’s new Youth Campus for Empowerment. This 14-acre site, set to be completed by 2027, will include facilities to support families, a 24-hour center for youths in crisis, courtrooms, and meeting spaces.