Singer Jelly Roll is opening up about the first time he attended an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.
“Oh goodness, I don’t fully remember my first real meeting ‘cause I was court-ordered at like 14,” the Grammy-winner revealed on the Thursday, October 10 episode of SiriusXM’s The Highway show, hosted by Ania Hammar.
“But I definitely remember the first time that I found solace in those rooms, or the first time that I kind of got introduced to the concept of this,” the country star, whose real name is Jason DeFord, continued. “And how much stuff I’ve taken from them rooms.”
According to Jelly Roll, 39, his experiences with Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous meetings inspired his hit song “I Am Not Okay.” In a previous interview with The New York Times back in August, the singer revealed that another song, titled “Winning Streak” on his latest album Beautifully Broken, was also inspired by AA and NA.
“It was really hard for me to get away from those drugs,” he said at the time. “Something I do [for] maintaining my relationship with those drugs is I will still attend the meetings, even though I’m not a textbook sober guy — but I never share, I just quietly sit and appreciate the message and the meaning.”
The singer went on to explain that he continues to attend meetings “for my demons,” which influences his songwriting “from the perspective of a story I’d seen happen for real.”
He added, “I’m looking for songs that have purpose. When I go to put out a song under the name Jelly Roll, I think to myself, ‘Why?’ Because for the first time in my life, it has nothing to do with a financial decision, I’m well past putting out anything for money. So, now, it really is a why.”
During his recent The Highway show appearance, Jelly Roll said he believes everyone — whether they struggle with substance abuse or imbibe or not — should attend an AA or NA meeting at least once in their life, in part because he has “never been more inspired” than when he leaves a meeting.
“I think everybody should experience one [even] if you’ve never drank in your life,” he continued. “I still think that there is something from it that is, you know, the good ones are like good theater. They’ll make you listen, you’ll learn, you’ll laugh and you’ll cry.”
Beautifully Broken is out now.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
