NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — We now know more about a new project dreamed up by award-winning artist Jelly Roll that he first mentioned at a February event.He opened a music studio inside the Nashville Juvenile Detention Center, thanks to a portion of proceeds from his Bridgestone Arena concert last December.
Jelly Roll officially opened the studio in early February alongside fellow Nashville native ERNEST and a host of other artists, volunteers, correctional leaders, Mayor Freddie O'Connell and Juvenile Court Judge Sheila Calloway. The studio opening coincided with the launch of a new program at the facility by non-profit The Beat of Life called "Redemption Songs."
According to a press release, the studio is a resource for aspiring musicians and "embodies the belief in music's role in personal growth and redemption, showcasing the journey from juvenile detention to success." Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, spent time as an offender inside the Nashville Juvenile Detention Center as a youth. He spoke earlier this year about working with the young detainees, some of whom didn't know he had once been in their shoes.
"I watched him look at me different. I watched him interact with the program differently. I watched there be a clear moment of like, 'Oh you were here.' Not like a place like this or a version of this, I was in this facility. I think that if I could've had that I couldn't have imagined what it could have done for me."
You can learn more about the launch of the new studio on The Beat of Life's Facebook page. Aaron Cantrell recently profiled The Beat of Life's "Redemption Songs" program — you can watch that story here.
