Luke Bryan On Why Jelly Roll Is So Special

Luke Bryan announced that his January 17-20, 2024 "Crash My Playa" festival in Mexico will include sets from Jon Pardi, Bailey Zimmerman, Dustin Lynch, and, for the first time, Jelly Roll.

We talked with Luke recently, and he told us his thoughts on Jelly Roll. He said, "Jelly Roll and I have been at some events together. We hung out at a backstage festival a month and a half ago briefly. I think what Jelly Roll embodies and represents is something really, really special. When I'm around him, the way he holds himself. You are just drawn to him. He's such a star in that role."

Bryan added, "Every time I'm around the guy, he's just so intriguing and interesting. I think his form of country music speaks to a potentially forgotten box of people in country music, and he's able to really speak to that crowd. That's what makes him special."

Luke recalled what Jelly said when he was asked to do the festival, "When we were calling him to come to do 'Playa,' I was like, 'God, I hope he says yes.' I think any festival that I'm a part of, that I put my name on, is all about bringing somebody like Jelly Roll in. He called me up, he's like, 'Dude, I haven't been out of the country. This will be the first time I've ever toured my music out of the country.' Which is really fun."

He continued, "What makes him special is, as a fan, you get to see into his world, which is a world of a lot of people, and I think that's what you have to do to rise where he has risen. To speak to people and tell your story honestly. He tells his story the good, the bad, and the ugly, and I think that's what people love about him. You know, life's journey is not all squeaky, clean, and beautiful, with no bumps in the road. I think he lets a lot of people not feel alone."

Jelly Roll is on fire these days, having just enjoyed his second number-one song on country radio, "Need A Favor." He is currently on his headling tour, "Backroad Baptism." It is his "moment" in country music, and he's been enjoying every second of it, as you can clearly see on his social media.

He recently revealed that during his first performance at CMA Fest at Nissan Stadium in June, which was televised as a TV special on ABC, he was "trembling."

Jelly posted a video clip of the performance on his Instagram. He wrote in a lengthy caption, "If you listen closely, you can hear my voice shaking the first half of the song— I was trembling; I was so nervous. Sixty-five thousand people in my hometown stadium- the same stadium my father took me to every Sunday for Titans games. The same stadium I've been taking my daughter to since she was a baby."

He continued, "Thank you, CMA fest, for letting me be a part of your 50th anniversary - I have literally been going to 'Fan Fair' since I was a child. This night was unbelievable... to hear 65k people [sing] 'and God, I need a Favor' in unison like one voice. Speaking of 'NEED A FAVOR,' I can officially say it is the #1 song on Country Radio right now. There is no greater achievement in this town than being #1 in country radio. The fact this is my 2nd number one at Country Radio this year makes it almost unbelievable to me, to be honest - and this same song also held 3 weeks at number 1 on Rock radio."

Jelly concluded, "Just when I thought things couldn't get any wilder, y'all continue to amaze me. Thank y'all - this has been an unreal year."

We celebrate all things Jelly today as he shines in the country music spotlight. Let's take a look at the four songs that brought him to this place in music.

Jelly first released this song in June of 2020. At the time, he said of the song's video, "This one is a bit of a curveball for me. I don't usually do these stripped-down acoustic videos, but writing this song made me feel something. I felt y'all needed some insight into the more vulnerable side of the music business." The song was later re-recorded as a duet with Lainey Wilson.

This is Jelly Roll's first single released to the country music format. It is also his first number-one song on country radio. The song is about Jelly Roll's personal life as a traveling musician and his personal struggles with drug addiction. Jelly said that he was intoxicated while recording the vocal track.

Jelly's second number-one song on country radio. It centers on a man on the verge of losing the love of his life and praying for God to do him a favor, admitting he does not deserve it, and hoping to repent for his past actions.

An official remix of the song with Lainey Wilson was released on May 12, 2023, as the second single from Jelly's album Whitsitt Chapel. Jelly and Lainey performed it together at the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards and later at the finale of season 21 of "American Idol."