Jelly Roll knows music can bring people together from all walks of life, and he proved it Saturday night.
The country artist who overcame a troubled past performed a headlining gig for a lucky few hundred guests on behalf of SiriusXM, live from Stephen Talkhouse in the Hamptons on Saturday night. Jelly Roll, whose full name is Jason Bradley DeFord, mingled with the stars who turned up in droves to see his show, including Howard Stern, Bradley Cooper, Jon Hamm and Jimmy Fallon.
The “Son of a Sinner” singer was introduced to the stage by the SmartLess hosts, Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes, who sat down for a live podcast taping with Howard Stern prior to the show.
“I never would have thought my fat, white-trash a– would be in the Hamptons,” Jelly Roll told the audience, according to Page Six. “This is an incredible scene.”
He performed a few of his hits, including “I’m not OK” and “Need a Favor,” before belting out a couple of cover songs, including “Good Riddance,” “Friends in Low Places” and “(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay.”
During the show, Jelly Roll caught a glimpse of Howard Stern and his wife, Beth Stern, in the crowd and gave them a special shout-out.
He said being on Stern’s show was “one of the coolest things of my life. I can check it off my bucket list. It was f—ing incredible!”
Jelly Roll added, “Just like everybody else my age, I have watched [Stern’s 1997 biopic] ‘Private Parts’ about a thousand times. I think he is the greatest ever. … I love you. Thank you for your time and energy always.”
The “Wild Ones” singer appeared on Stern’s talk show in June where he discussed his history in the prison system, selling drugs, and cried thinking about the Bette Midler song his mother asked to play at her funeral.
“By the way, I love this story, too,” Stern told Jelly Roll. “That song, ‘Save Me,’ was inspired by the song by Bette Midler, ‘The Rose,’ because you and your mom used to listen all the time.”
Stern asked if Jelly Roll had ever met Midler, to which he responded, “Oh goodness no. If I meet her or James Taylor, I’m going to cry on the spot.”
“This is a beautiful song, ‘The Rose,’” Stern said.
“My mother would play this. Keep in mind she was a really dark woman at the time. She would say, ‘Play this at my funeral,’” Jelly Roll recalled. “She would sit at the kitchen table … I still get emotional listening to it. And she would smoke these cigarettes, and she would just be like, ‘Just remember to play this when I die.’”
He added, “So, the first tattoo I ever got was a rose on my back with her name.”
“How does a mother say to her son, ‘Please play this at my funeral?’” Howard wondered.
“That’s coming from a woman who didn’t think she was going to live, and I know how that feels,” Jelly Roll said. “I know how it feels to think you’re not going to live.”
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