Jelly Roll Says Daughter Bailee, 15, ‘Saved’ Him: ‘Something Clicked’ When She Was Born

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Image Credit: Paul A Hebert/Shutterstock

“I’ve been to jailhouse 40 times successful my life,” Jelly Roll said successful 1 of the opening lines of his documentary, Jelly Roll: Save Me, which was released connected Hulu connected May 30. “If I wasn’t a musician, I’d beryllium dormant for sure. Or successful situation doing life. I was successful and retired of juvenile my full childhood, almost.” However, euphony wasn’t the lone happening that saved the state vocalist from a overmuch much detrimental fate. The 38-year-old was doing clip aft violating his probation by selling ace erstwhile his daughter, Bailee, present 15, was born. That was the past clip helium went to jail. “My girl saved my beingness and she doesn’t adjacent cognize it,” Jelly Roll admitted.

“On much than 1 occasion, my girl was a divine involution successful my life,” Jelly Roll, whose existent sanction is Jason Bradley DeFord, added. He revealed that helium met Bailee’s mother, Felicia, astatine a communal friend’s house. She got large portion helium was selling drugs, which yet enactment him backmost down bars. Bailee was calved connected May 22, 2008, and Jelly Roll recovered retired via a situation guard. “I deliberation I lived an highly selfish beingness until that moment,” helium shared. “I deliberation it was the archetypal clip successful my full beingness that I thought astir putting idiosyncratic successful beforehand of me. In that moment, I made a committedness with her that I had to beryllium determination for her. It’s astir similar thing clicked close then.”

Jelly Roll performing. (Paul A Hebert/Shutterstock)

Jelly Roll was 23 years aged erstwhile Bailee was born. When helium got retired of jail, helium began putting his vigor into music. However, since helium didn’t person a unchangeable vocation and had a rocky past, helium did not person custody of Bailee erstwhile she was a toddler. “Bailee’s parent made it hard connected maine astatine first,” helium shared. “She made maine spell to tribunal to adjacent spot her. I hardly got to spot her successful the aboriginal years due to the fact that I was traveling truthful much. I was a precise less-than-present father. Not to mention, I was drinking myself to slumber each night.”

When Bailee was seven, Felicia, who has Fibromyalgia and was “always successful pain,” began to “really spell downhill,” according to Jelly Roll. “I could spot the penning connected the partition that her pill addiction was spiraling retired of control,” helium explained. “Then I spot Felicia extremity up successful a full-blown heroin addiction.” When Jelly Roll and his wife, Bunnie XO, saw however Bailee was living, they knew they needed to springiness her a amended life. They yet got afloat custody of Bailee.

Now, Felicia is sober aft six years battling a heroin addiction. “We’re arrogant of her, but it was truly unsmooth connected Bailee,” Jelly Roll admitted. “And it truly helped maine straighten my s*** retired due to the fact that It made maine recognize however important it was for maine to beryllium determination for her.” Seeing Felicia’s information besides helped Bunnie XO springiness up her pill-popping habit. She said she has “never touched a pill” since getting afloat custody of Bailee.

Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO astatine the ACM Awards. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock)

Bailee besides spoke successful the documentary and assured viewers that she is successful a bully spot today. “I had an extra, interesting, traumatic childhood,” she said. “Bunnie did, my dada did. They’re important reasons for wherefore my ma is successful my beingness present and is sober. As a teenager, I’ve moved on. I’ve worked done my childhood. But that doesn’t marque it spell away. It made maine who I americium today.”

In summation to Bailee, Jelly Roll besides has a son, Noah, who was calved successful 2016. However, helium mostly keeps the kid retired of the nationalist oculus to respect his mother’s privacy. Jelly Roll has not revealed the individuality of his son’s mother.

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