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Jelly Roll’s Gathered Thoughts On Latest Win

Jelly Roll has been thinking a lot since his win for “Save Me” at the recent ACM Awards. After getting his thoughts together, he posted a long message about the…

Jelly Roll in a tan jacket holding an acm award.
Omar Vega/Getty Imags

Jelly Roll has been thinking a lot since his win for "Save Me" at the recent ACM Awards. After getting his thoughts together, he posted a long message about the honor on Instagram.

Jelly wrote, "It took me a while to gather my thoughts about this. First, I want to say thank you to the Academy of Country Music for nominating me and my peers in country music for voting for Save Me to win Music Event of the Year. Walking up to receive this award, my mind went blank, and all I felt were emotions. There are still so many people I want to thank. I want to thank God, my wife, Country radio, my label, and so many more."

He continued, "Honestly, I couldn't quit thinking about how much this song has changed my life and so many others. I get thousands of messages a week talking about how much this song helped people or how it was played at a loved one's funeral. I wrote this song with a guy I've known since I was in high school. We are both just a couple of poor, misunderstood kids that grew up never thinking we would amount to anything. I wrote this song from the depth of my soul. I've always said that music can change the world. One song at a time."

"Bob Marley said, 'One good thing about music is when it hits you, you feel no pain.' Thank you All again for continuing to change my life, and I promise to continue to write music that makes you feel something."

He added, "Last but certainly not least, thank you, Lainey Wilson. You are an angel on earth. Your hard work is inspiring, but even more inspiring is how you anchor yourself in your family. You are the perfect partner for this song. No matter how big or small, you have shown up for me every time I've asked. Whether it was a dive bar or a morning TV show, you showed up with a smile no matter how much it inconvenienced you because you knew the power of this song and how it could HEAL!"

Jelly concluded, "Thank you - you truly are my sister; I'd go to war beside you if it ever came down to it. Send my love to Duck and your mom and dad. This song would not be what it is without you!"

See that post here.

Before the ACM show, Jelly talked about how hard it was for him to write and share the song with people. He said, "'Save Me.' Man, was that one. I had trouble playing it in a room for people for like 3-4 weeks after I recorded it."

He added, "Like, I couldn't listen to it with them, you know what I mean? And so, singing it was really rough." 

Jelly went on to say that the song literally saved him. In his acceptance speech at the show, he said from the podium, "I'm gonna try not to get emotional, but seriously, this song saved me. I was in a dark place. I wrote it from my soul. I knew people would connect with it."

Nancy Brooks has been working in the country music industry for almost 30 years. She has interviewed pretty much any country star you can think of. In the late 1990s, she started working with Dolly Parton. And yes, Nancy reports that Parton is as sweet as you would think. She loves her life in country music and has been backstage at every CMA Awards show since the late 1990s. Many of her stories are from her one-on-one interviews. She was there at the beginning of the incredible careers of many music superstars today, including Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, and Blake Shelton, and has interviewed them multiple times throughout the years.