Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee pardoned country music star Jelly Roll on Thursday, wiping clean the Nashville native’s state felony convictions — and sealing a full-circle redemption story just days before Christmas.
“His story is remarkable, and it’s a redemptive, powerful story, which is what you look for and what you hope for,” Lee told local reporters, according to The Associated Press.
The moment was pure holiday Americana.
Lee and Jelly Roll shared a hug inside the governor’s mansion, standing before a lit Christmas tree and a fireplace draped in festive garlands.
Jelly Roll was one of 33 individuals granted pardons this season, part of Lee’s long-standing tradition of issuing clemency decisions around Christmas.
State officials stressed that the singer’s request underwent the same months-long review as every other applicant, and that the Tennessee Board of Parole unanimously recommended approval in April.
The Grammy-nominated artist’s past includes robbery and drug-related felony convictions, crimes that once landed him behind bars — and nearly derailed his future.
In recent years, Jelly Roll has been open about why a pardon mattered. He said it would allow him to travel internationally for concert tours and to pursue Christian missionary work without the maze of paperwork tied to his criminal record.
Support poured in from friends, fans, and civic leaders, all pointing to how far the artist has come since serving his sentence — from inmate to chart-topper to advocate for second chances.
Lee noted that he had never met Jelly Roll before Thursday, when the singer visited the mansion following the pardon announcement.
Unlike headline-grabbing federal pardons that release inmates from prison, Tennessee’s process is about forgiveness, not freedom. Pardons are granted only after sentences are served and can restore certain civil rights, including voting, though limits remain and final authority rests with the governor.
Once locked out by his past, Jelly Roll now walks forward with the state’s blessing — proof that in Tennessee, redemption still counts.
Tennessee's governor pardoned country star Jelly Roll on Thursday for his criminal past in the state, acknowledging the Nashville native's long road back from drugs and prison through soul-searching, songwriting and advocacy for second chances.
The rapper-turned-singer, whose… pic.twitter.com/PKUmTdsTvp
— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 19, 2025
Thank you for visiting