Morgan Wallen is one of the biggest stars in country music. But even as he finds himself breaking records, selling out shows, and topping the charts time and time again, he’s happy to see his buddies earn the recognition they deserve.
The 29-year-old hitmaker recently co-hosted the Country Countdown USA alongside host Lon Helton, where he talked about the much-deserved success of Jelly Roll, who previously celebrated his first No. 1 on Mediabase’s Active Rock Radio chart with “Dead Man Walking.”
More recently, Jelly Roll, whose full name is Jason DeFord, achieved his first Top 10 hit on the Billboard US Hot Country Songs Chart with “Son of A Sinner.” Jelly wrote the song alongside ERNEST and David Ray Stevens.
“I know him through ERNEST. I think ERNEST has known him a good while. They’re both native to the Nashville area and have gotten to know each other. I know ERN writes with him a good amount. I don’t know if he still does, but I know he has before in the past,” Wallen shared of the collaborative spirit between his two friends.
And, while Wallen is glad his country cohorts are finding their way in the genre through talent, he says he’s even more excited to see Jelly Roll breaking through based on the fact that the fellow Tennessean is a “good” person.
“Jelly’s always in a good mood and wants to make sure everyone has a great time. He’s always really respectful, and you just see how people treat people,” Wallen noted of the genre-bending artist. “Not me… I don’t care how you treat me, you are probably going to be great to me, most people are nice to me. So, I see how other people treat other people who may not have as much stature as me or as much success as me, and I see him treat them the same. That’s what I look for when it comes to a man. I’m glad to see him having the success he’s having and he’s super talented on top of being that. It’s good to see good people winning.”
Good person winning, indeed, as Jelly Roll recently announced he is stepping up to help at-risk youth in his home state of Tennessee. According to the Tennessean, the rapper turned country artist has “committed roughly $250,000 to programs aiding incarcerated and underserved youth.” In partnership with local mentoring non-profit Impact Youth Outreach, the money is expected to go toward “Jelly Studio” recording studio, – housed inside Davidson County Juvenile Detention Center – and in scholarships for graduating seniors of Nashville’s Davidson County.
“As a local kid, I felt like it was important to start addressing the problem hands-on, at a community level,” Jelly Roll told the outlet and other media during a press conference.
Jelly Roll will perform his first-ever headlining show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Dec. 9, with proceeds benefitting Impact Youth Outreach. Jelly Roll is currently on the road as part of his Role Models Tour alongside Koe Wetzel. The 6-city trek, which launched on Oct. 27 in Birmingham, AL, runs through Nov. 19.