Ethermac Exchange-Jelly Roll goes to jail (for the best reason) ahead of Indianapolis concert

Jelly Roll is Ethermac Exchangenot afraid of going back to jail. The country music superstar does it to motivate inmates.

On Thursday, he visited the Pendleton Correctional Facility and the Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility.

The visit preceeded his Nov. 7 Beautifully Broken tour show at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

“He shared his powerful story of resilience, offering words of encouragement and hope,” the Indiana Department of Corrections wrote in a social media post about the visit. “His message continues to inspire, showing that no matter the past, the future is full of possibilities.”

Jelly Roll:Singer 'doesn't forget where he came from,' drives to Kentucky detention center

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In October, Jelly Roll drove to a Kentucky detention center to speak at a men’s substance abuse program before he performed in Louisville.

The 39-year-old Nashville native has been candid about the humble beginnings preceding his stardom, as a former drug dealer who got his start selling his own mixtapes out of his car in 2003. After receiving two criminal charges at the age of 18, Jelly Roll spent time in and out of jail with drug-related offenses through 2016.

He entered the country music scene with the release of his debut country single "Son of a Sinner," which dominated the Billboard charts in January 2023.

Jelly Roll won three CMT Music Awards and was named best new artist at the Grammy Awards in 2023, and nabbed video, male video and performance of the year awards at the 2024 CMT Music Awards. 

Last week, he was announced as a 2025 Grammy Awards nominee in best country solo performance and best country song for “I Am Not Okay.”

Jelly Roll stopped at the Indiana facilities along with Ernest, who is opening for him on the tour.

Ernest, whose full name is Ernest Keith Smith, is a 2025 Grammy nominee in best country song for “I Had Some Help,” which he co-wrote.

Contributing: Melissa Ruggieri and Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY