Through a portion of the revenues from his Bridgestone Arena show last December, award-winning musician Jelly Roll-who first discussed this project at an event in February-opened a music studio inside the Nashville Juvenile Detention Center.
Together with ERNEST, a fellow Nashville native, and a number of other artists, volunteers, correctional officials, Mayor Freddie O'Connell, and Juvenile Court Judge Sheila Calloway, Jelly Roll formally opened the studio in early February.
Jelly Roll in Nashville Juvenile Detention Center
The non-profit The Beat of Life's "Redemption Songs" program was introduced at the facility at the same time as the studio's opening.
Jelly Roll, spent time in the Nashville Juvenile Detention Center as an offender when he was younger. A press release states that the studio is a resource for aspiring musicians and "embodies the belief in music's role in personal growth and redemption, showcasing the journey from juvenile detention to success."
He talked about dealing with the juvenile inmates earlier this year; some of them were unaware that he had been in their position before.
"I watched him look at me different. I watched him interact with the program differently. I watched there be a clear moment of like, 'Oh you were here.' Not like a place like this or a version of this, I was in this facility. I think that if I could've had that I couldn't have imagined what it could have done for me."
Why Is Jelly Roll Being Sued?
In another news, Jelly Roll, formally known as Jason Bradley DeFord, is being sued by a Philadelphia-born wedding band for trademark infringement.
According to court documents obtained by People magazine, Jellyroll band member Kurt L. Titchenell is asking Jelly Roll to stop using his name. Titchenell claimed that they have been using the name since 1980 and obtained the trademark in 2010 and renewed the paperwork for it in 2019.
They claimed to have been performing under this name since 1980, twice at The White House with former President George W. Bush and his family.
In his complaint, Tichenell claimed that "prior to the Defendant's recent rise in notoriety, a search of the name Jellyroll on most search engines, and particularly Google, returned references to the Plaintiff."
Notably, Jelly Roll was born in 1984 and started making music in the 2000s before adopting the stage name in 2010.
"Now, any such search on Google returns multiple references to Defendant, perhaps as many as 18-20 references before any reference to Plaintiff's entertainment dance band known as Jellyroll® can be found," Titchenell's legal team said. "Several conversations ensued and at one point Defendant's counsel inquired as to whether Defendant really was in competition with Plaintiff."
Titchenell allegedly sent cease-and-desist orders to the email addresses of Jelly Roll's team in hopes of reaching them. The plaintiff alleged that Jelly Roll's team had responded to them, expressing an intention to discuss the complaint.
Jelly Roll Success in Country Music
Jelly Roll's popularity has surged since he made waves last year in the country music scene.
He won three awards at the 2024 CMT Music Awards, making him the most-awarded artist for two consecutive years because he also won three in the 2023 ceremony.
Very recently, he also garnered four nominations at the 2024 ACM Awards. Jelly Roll is nominated for Music Event of the Year for his collaboration with Lainey Wilson on "Save Me," ACM Award for Single of the Year for "Need A Favor," Male Entertainer of the Year, and Entertainer of the Year.
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