Jelly Roll is now a member of the Grande Ole Opry! The singer, whose real name is Jason DeFord, broke down over the news while on an episode of the Joe Rogan Show.
On December 10, 2025, the invitation came as a surprise during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, when fellow Opry member Craig Morgan delivered the news via a video message. In the message, he praised Jelly Roll for his impact and welcomed him into the Opry family. Overcome with emotion, Jelly Roll shook with gratitude, tearfully expressing how meaningful the honor is to him.
He shared the news publicly in a video clip posted to Instagram.
“I don’t even know what to say right now y’all,” he said in a caption. “They invited me to be a member of the Opry. CRAIG MORGAN INVITED ME TO BE A MEMBER OF THE OPRY!!!!”
He continued, “I’m honored beyond words, and I can’t stop pinching myself. To everyone at the Opry, y’all are like family to me. To Craig Morgan, no matter how many times I say it I’ll never be able to tell you enough how much this has all meant to me. I love you, Joe Rogan.”
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In the video, Jelly is heard saying, “It don’t get no bigger in country music, bubba. That’s as big as it gets.”
Jelly Roll also discussed how he was touched deeply by Craig Morgan’s song “Almost Home.”
“He comes out and sings ‘Almost Home,’ and… I’d maybe cried 10 times in my life at that point,” he recalled. “I cried and cried. I cried like I’m crying here now, and I just remember thinking, ‘Man, I wanna make people feel the way he makes me feel. That’s what I want to do. I did it, Joe.”
Commenters celebrated the SAVE ME SINGER.
“Love this for you man! Your ability to inspire never stops. Keep this humility and gratitude, you charge more lives than you realize,” one person said. Craig Morgan also commented, saying, “Couldn’t think of anyone more deserving. Welcome home.”
Jelly Roll now has his own dedicated page on the Opry website. It reads, “Jelly’s newest album Ballads of the Broken last was released in late 2021. The introspective 10-track album features the #1 Active Rock hit, ‘Dead Man Walking’ as well as, ‘Son of a Sinner’, which is currently climbing the country charts. The album shows Jelly Roll’s growth as an artist and man, drawing from his personal experiences to tell the story of a man who has been through the ringer and isn’t afraid to share his raw truth.”
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