Jelly Roll was the clear winner at the 2023 CMT Music Awards. The 38-year-old won all three categories he was nominated in, including Male Video of the Year, Male Breakthrough Video of the Year and the CMT Digital-First Performance of the Year, all for his debut, No. 1 hit, “Son Of A Sinner..”
After giving two heartfelt speeches during the live broadcast, Jelly Roll later realized in his excitement that he forgot to thank his 14-year-old daughter, Bailee Ann, during his time on stage,
“I just kept thinking, you’re gonna forget everybody, so just speak from the heart,” Jelly Roll told Entertainment Tonight backstage after the ceremony.. “And I’m sorry, my daughter most importantly, I wanted to thank her, and I forgot to, and I love you, Bailee Ann, so much. I thought about it the moment I walked off stage. You’ve changed my life in so many ways. But it’s just unreal. This is bigger than just a single award for us. We came from nothing.”
While her famous father may have forgotten to mention his child from stage, the Tennessee native has no doubt that she has nothing but love for him, in spite of the accidental omission.
“I think she’s just proud of me,” Jelly Roll says. “She knows the story. She knows how real it is. I’m just proud of her.”
As for Jelly Roll’s new trophies, the singer says he will give one of the awards to one of his band members, following a tradition started by last year’s winner, and display the other two in his home.
“I’m gonna give my Digital-First to my guitar player,” Jelly Roll reveals. “Last year, Cody Johnson gave his to his guitar player, and I’m gonna try to keep that tradition alive. … They’re hanging up on the mantel. They’re gonna go right up next to my Opry debut poster.”
Jelly Roll gave a passionate speech following his third award of the night, reflecting on his journey to being one of country music’s biggest hitmakers. It’s a far cry from how his life could have turned out, after spending time incarcerated both as a juvenile and an adult.
“I love y’all so much,” an emotional Jelly Roll said from the stage. “Thank you, CMT. Three awards in one night. I hope y’all will give me a second here. I started drinking. I didn’t think I was going to win again. It may have looked like it was only 30 yards. But it took me 39 years to walk from over there to right here. And I want you to know that I don’t know what you’re going through, and I don’t know what you’ve been through, but I know you can overcome it. I promise you. You can. And you can be whatever you want to be, I promise you that.
“I told them I wanted to be a country music singer, and I’m standing here at the CMT Awards with the Male Video of the Year,” he continued. “When God has something for you, nothing can get in the way. I know you’re watching, Mama. Look at your baby boy. … I want to thank country radio for accepting me, knowing who I was, and letting me do it my way the whole way to this stage tonight. That means the world to me. And I want to thank the country music community for standing behind me, and standing next to me through all of this.”
Jelly Roll’s first full-length country album, Whitsitt Chapel, will be out on June 2. He will embark on his Backroad Baptism Tour in July, joined by a rotating list of opening acts, including Ashley McBryde, Chase Rice, Struggle Jennings, Caitlynne Curtis, Elle King, Merkules, Three 6 Mafia, Yelawolf and Josh Adam Meyers. Find music and tour dates at JellyRoll615.com.
Photo Credit: Getty Images for CMT
