NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee granted a pardon to country star Jelly Roll Thursday, one of 33 clemency actions announced by his office. The Jelly Roll pardon, recommended unanimously by the Tennessee Board of Parole after a months-long review, is a formal act of forgiveness for convictions the artist has said still affect his rights and travel, Dec. 18, 2025.
Jelly Roll, whose legal name is Jason DeFord, has built a public redemption narrative from a teen robbery conviction and a later drug case to a successful music career — and a platform centered on addiction recovery and second chances, as reported by The Associated Press. “His story is remarkable, and it’s a redemptive, powerful story,” Lee told reporters.
Jelly Roll pardon: what the clemency decision does — and doesn’t
In Tennessee, a pardon is a statement of forgiveness; it does not erase a criminal record. State officials say the process runs through the Board of Parole’s Executive Clemency Unit, but only the governor can grant relief.
In a press release from Lee’s office, the governor said Thursday’s round involved pardons only — not commutations or exonerations — and that applicants must have completed their sentences and lived in the community for at least five years. The Board of Parole issues a recommendation, but the final decision rests with the governor. Lee’s office also said none of the pardons announced Thursday were for homicide or sex-related convictions, or for any crime committed as an adult against a minor.
The Jelly Roll pardon covers felony convictions tied to robbery and drug possession in Davidson County, People reported. DeFord has said the Jelly Roll pardon could reduce the paperwork and delays that have complicated foreign travel, while also opening a path to restoring certain civil rights, such as voting, depending on the terms of the pardon and other legal limits.
A yearslong push, from travel hurdles to public advocacy
The Jelly Roll pardon did not appear overnight. In 2024, the Los Angeles Times quoted DeFord describing why international touring remained out of reach: “America has finally agreed to let me leave and give me a passport, but some countries won’t let me come because of my felonies.”
The parole board began formally considering his application in October 2024. In April 2025, the board unanimously recommended a pardon, the Associated Press reported, sending the case to Lee for a final decision.
DeFord has also tried to use the spotlight for policy advocacy. In a 2024 Senate hearing on fentanyl trafficking, ABC News quoted him telling lawmakers: “I was a part of the problem. I am here now, standing as a man that wants to be a part of the solution.”
For Lee, the Jelly Roll pardon fits a broader holiday-season clemency tradition in Tennessee, with 33 people receiving pardons in this round. For DeFord, the Jelly Roll pardon adds a formal state seal to a story he has long told in music and in jails: that accountability can coexist with a second chance.
