During his 2023 Backroad Baptism Tour, the country music artist Jelly Roll did something profound that touched the hearts of many. As the captivating singer graced the stage in Virginia Beach for a sold-out show, he took an extraordinary detour that has left his fans both inspired and intrigued.
BUT FIRST…
The Video That Got Jelly Roll’s Attention
Jelly Roll’s path led him to Chesterfield County Jail, a facility that houses the Helping Addicts Recover Progressively (HARP) program. This program follows a peer-to-peer recovery model, wherein participants voluntarily commit to a six-month inpatient stay.
The HARP community posted a video to their TikTok asking Jelly Roll for a favor and a group of program participants can be seen in the video standing together singing to him.
They ask Jelly Roll to visit their facility during his Virginia stop and the video’s emotional plea reached a lot of people pretty quickly and gained viral attention. The video ended up getting in front of Jelly Roll’s eyes and moved by their sincerity, he agreed to their request to come visit.
@harptiktok @Jelly Roll we need a favor! #harptok #jailtok #jellyrollofficial #fpy ♬ original sound – HARPTOK
Upon his arrival at the jail facility, the atmosphere was electric. The sound of support was tear-jerking for Jelly Roll as a chorus of HARP participants chanted his name. His humility and honor to answer their request for him to come was emotional as he shared, “I heard y’all needed a favor. I just wanna say I’m a fan. I was watching [y’all] on TikTok before y’all started calling for me.”
What ends up happening next is nothing short of special. Jelly Roll led the group in a soul-stirring sing-along, performing his hits “Need a Favor,” “Son of a Sinner,” and “Save Me.” Between the verses, he voiced his deep admiration for the transformative work accomplished by the HARP program members. He reflected on what it was like for him to be incarcerated and going through addiction and couldn’t help but get teary-eyed.
“I don’t think y’all even realize the impact that y’all are having,” he said in a video he posted to Twitter. “Whenever I was in here, we didn’t have a program like this. We didn’t have people like us come talk to us.”
Jelly Roll’s commitment to supporting those grappling with addiction and incarceration has been a focus he holds personally. His giving back actually extends beyond his role as a music artist.
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In 2022, following the triumph of a sold-out Nashville performance, he channeled the proceeds to fund the establishment of a recording studio at Davidson County Juvenile Detention Center—a facility where he himself was once confined during his teenage years.
The heartwarming visit to Chesterfield County Jail just shows Jelly Roll’s dedication to using his platform to uplift others and foster positive change. As Jelly Roll’s Backroad Baptism Tour continues to sell out shows, his recent detour reminds us all of the transformative power of compassion and empathy that can happen when you go out of your way to make a positive impact.