Struggle Jennings sits down with Keep It Truckin to share his life story and musical journey. Highlights include discussing his longtime best friend, country recording artist Jelly Roll. Keep It Truckin is one of the fastest growing media outlets currently with upcoming interviews from Kyle Petty, Chris Forsberg and many others! Tune in August 23rd at 6pm EST and don’t miss this exciting interview. Click the link to join us: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9ed-A_y_5Y 

Is he country? Is he hip-hop? Is he rock?

The man born Jason DeFord but known as the heavily tattooed music star Jelly Roll is a mishmash of musical styles and he’s on the path to conquer them all.

His best new artist nomination at the 2024 Grammy Awards is another accomplishment for the Nashville-born singer, who turns 40 in December.

Last year, Jelly Roll nabbed new artist of the year at the Country Music Association Awards and three CMT Music Awards for his hit, “Son of a Sinner.”

Though he’s floated around the music industry since 2011, it took a decade and some major personal bumps for him to achieve mainstream success.Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Learn more about Jelly Roll’s tough road to stardom as he vies for Grammy Awards on Feb. 4 on CBS/Paramount+.

What songs does sing

The burly belter hit the Billboard mainstream rock chart in 2021 with “Dead Man Walking,” but by 2022 crossed over to country. A string of Top 10 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts followed, including “Need a Favor,” “Save Me” (with Lainey Wilson, who’s nominated with Jelly Roll for a best country/duo group performance Grammy) and “Wild Ones.”

Why was Jelly Roll arrested?

According to Davidson County Criminal Court records, Jelly Roll’s first arrest as an adult happened in 2002 when he was 18. Prosecutors formally charged him with two counts of aggravated robbery. He was sentenced to eight years in prison and seven years of probation.