Growing up in Nashville gave Jelly Roll one distinctive advantage over any other artist from another genre trying to break into country music…or so we thought.
The “Son Of A Sinner” singer got candid with me on Taste of Country Nights when I asked him if being from Nashville, born and raised, has helped him break into country music.
But the opposite turned out to be true.”You know what, I think it hurt me for the longest time,” Jelly replied.
How Did Being From Nashville “Hurt” Jelly Roll’s Career?
Simply put, there’s stiff competition.
Jelly explains that there are so many people just like him that live in and around Nashville trying to break the proverbial doors of country music down that he almost just got lost in the mayhem of it all, in the beginning.
After he punched through the corporate side of the record business, he was able to show the powers that be that he had something to offer than the others didn’t.
Read More: Jelly Roll Hilariously Admits He Lied to Young Kids About His Face Tattoos [EXCLUSIVE]
Speaking of his break into country music in 2022 with “Son Of A Sinner”, Jelly said “I think right now, it couldn’t have been better timing for me to be here.”
Which Country Artists From Tennessee Does Jelly Roll Look Up To?
Jelly says it finally helped him being from Tennessee when all of his fellow Tennesseans also broke through around the same time.
“You got the explosion of Ernest, Conner Smith, Chris Young, Morgan Wallen, Dustin Lynch is from Tullahoma, you get all these guys who are turning into big songwriters and big artists that are all big Tennessee boys, it definitely didn’t hurt to be a part of that,” he admits.
What Makes Jelly Roll’s Music Different Than Other Country Artists?
“Country is in eras, and I think they were in need of some country that wasn’t, you know, truck driven or huntin’ driven,” the singer reflects.
“Nothing against those two things, those are my favorite songs and I enjoy both, but they thought ‘Okay, we are gonna get something a little left of center from Jelly.'”
Jelly Roll’s Stunning Weight Loss Journey in 29 Pictures
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
Jelly Roll: 27 Stunning Facts About the ‘Save Me’ Singer
Jelly Roll is country music’s most fascinating character. His life has taken dozens of wild twists and turns, and he’s been honest about all of it. Here are 27 facts about the “Save Me” singer and his family.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
