Jelly Roll Becomes Newest Grand Ole Opry Member After Emotional Induction

Jelly Roll is officially a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

The three-time Grammy winner became the newest Opry member during an emotional evening on the historic stage in Nashville, Tennessee. Fellow Opry member and “Save Me” duet partner Lainey Wilson formally inducted Jelly Roll on Tuesday evening (March 10), following an emotional video that recapped Jelly Roll's Opry journey. Craig Morgan, Leanne Morgan, ERNEST and others took the stage in Jelly Roll’s honor. Sheriff Daron Hall and Davidson County Juvenile Correctional Professional Yolanda Hockett attended Jelly Roll’s Opry induction, marking a full circle moment for the Beautifully Broken artist. Jelly Roll thanked them “for their belief and guidance since he encountered both in his time serving at the juvenile center, as well as members from the Judge Dinkins Educational Center, who Jelly currently works with to support and empower underserved youth,” states a press release issued after midnight CT. “He also thanked his family including his Mom who was sitting in the front row, marking the first time she had seen him perform at the Opry.”

Jelly Roll performed “Liar,” “Need A Favor,” “I Am Not Okay,” “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” and “Son Of A Sinner” with ERNEST. He nodded to Johnny Cash, donning the late legend’s cross that son John Caster Cash gave to him.

“There are some people in this business who are great singers, some people who are great songwriters and storytellers, and every once in a while somebody comes along who is something even bigger than that,” Wilson said when she inducted Jelly Roll into the Opry. “They are a voice for people who feel like they don’t have one. And that’s exactly who Jelly Roll is. Your love for Jesus Christ radiates from you, and I'm so proud of you. Country music has always been about telling stories, the good, the bad, the messy; it's about redemption, and tonight we are welcoming a man who has never been afraid to tell the truth about his life. He turned pain into purpose, mistakes into music, and somehow managed to make millions of people feel like they are a little less alone. I’m so proud to call you my friend. Jelly Roll, because of your heart, your story, and the way you have used your voice to lift everybody else up, it is my honor to welcome you into the Grand Ole Opry family.”

Jelly Roll said when he officially became a member of the Grand Ole Opry:

“To take a convicted felon from Music City who found country music because I’m from Nashville, and you take that kid who's been in the local juvenile and local county jail, and you bring him here and give him Grammys, awards, and platinum plaques, and then you make him a member of the most prestigious group of the Grand Ole Opry. Every word of that sounded like I’m telling you a lot about myself, but that is a story only God could be the author of. Some stories only God can write. This is truly a God story. I talk a lot more about him now because I'm getting a lot closer to him and I recognize that. I don’t deserve this, I don’t deserve the grace God gave me, but I think that's the best part, right? And yet he gives it all the time.”

Jelly Roll and Wilson closed out the emotional evening with a rendition of “Save Me.”

Jelly Roll tearfully said “it don’t get no bigger in country music,” when he received his surprise Opry invitation from Craig Morgan during an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience in December 2025. Wilson said “I just could not be any more happy and proud of Jelly Roll,” during a press event earlier this year in Nashville. The Opry previously shared on Instagram that the Beautifully Broken artist’s “inspiring story of redemption has captured fans around the globe, and that connection is undeniable every time he steps on the Opry stage. …A portion of ticket purchases will be donated to the Judge Dinkins Educational Center, a cause very close to Jelly Roll’s heart.”

Jelly Roll joins a growing list of Grand Ole Opry members, which includes Dierks Bentley, Garth Brooks, Luke Combs, Alan Jackson, Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde, Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Carly Pearce, Blake Shelton, Randy Travis, Keith Urban, Trisha Yearwood and more. The prestigious honor is extended to select artists, and is considered one of the most meaningful honors in country music.

Jelly Roll is among the country artists nominated at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards, returning this spring to Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. See the list of country artists nominated here.

Like in years past, iHeartRadio is letting the fans choose the winners in several new and established categories. Fan voting will determine this year’s Favorite Broadway Debut, Favorite TikTok Dance, Favorite Debut Album, Best Lyrics, Best Music Video, Favorite On Screen, Favorite Tour Photographer, Favorite Soundtrack, Favorite Tour Style, Favorite Tour Tradition and Favorite K-pop Collab. Social voting begins on January 8th, and will close on March 19th at 11:59pm PT for all categories. Fans can vote by visiting iHeartRadio.com/awards.

Tune in to see which artists will take home an iHeartRadio Music Award on Thursday, March 26th at 8pm ET live (PT tape-delayed) on FOX. The show will also be broadcast on iHeartRadio stations across the country and on the iHeartRadio app.