Are Jelly Roll and Waylon Jennings related?
Introduction
Regarding the music industry, few names stand out more than Waylon Jennings and Jelly Roll.
Both of these musicians have made a lasting impression on the world of music, but many people wonder if they are related in any way.
Today, we will answer the question: is Jelly Roll related to Waylon Jennings?
Before diving into the topic, let’s talk about Waylon Jennings.
Who was Waylon Jennings?
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Waylon Jennings was an American songwriter and musician who pioneered the outlaw country movement in the 1970s.
He was born on June 15, 1937, in Littlefield, Texas, to William Albert Jennings and Lorene Beatrice Shipley.
From an early age, Waylon had an interest in music, and by age 14, he was playing in a band and working as a radio DJ.
By 1968, Waylon had released ten albums.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Jennings continued recording and performing live shows and touring extensively until 2002, when he passed away due to complications from diabetes. He was 64.
In 2001, Jennings was inducted into The Country Music Hall Of Fame before passing away.
Family
Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter – @Getty
He was married four times and had six children.
Waylon’s first marriage was to Maxine Caroll Lawrence in 1956 when he was just 18 years old.
Together they had four children:
- Deana;
- Buddy Dean;
- Julie Rae;
- Terry Vance.
From 1962 to 1967, Waylon was married to Lynne Jones. In 1967, Jennings wed Barbara Elizabeth Rood. They divorced one year later.
On October 26, 1969, he married country singer Jessi Colter. They were together until his death.
Waylon and Colter have a son, Waylon Albright, better known as Shooter Jennings.
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Who is Jelly Roll?
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Jelly Roll, born Jason DeFord, is an American rapper and singer-songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee.
He has been making music since 2010 and has collaborated with some of the biggest names, including Lil Wyte, Tech N9ne, and Haystak. In 2011, Jason released his first album, “Year Round.”
In 2013, he released another album, titled No Filter, through Phixieous Records.
In 2020, Jelly Roll released his fourth studio album titled – “A Beautiful Disaster.”
The 2023 CMT Music Awards was a night for Jelly Roll fans to remember. The Nashville-based artist took home three awards, including Male Breakthrough Video of the Year.
Family
Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo – @Getty
Not much is known about DeFord’s parents, except that they divorced around 2000. In 2019, Jason bought his mom a house.
In 2020, DeFord married Bunnie Xo. She owns the Dumb Blonde Podcast. Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO first met back in 2015.
Together they have two kids – a daughter Bailee Ann DeFord and a son Noah Buddy DeFord from a past relationship.
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So, is Jelly Roll related to Waylon Jennings?
The late Waylon Jennings was a legend in the genre, while Jelly Roll is known for his unique blend of country and hip-hop. But are the two related in any way, shape, or form?
Many fans have speculated that Jelly Roll and Waylon Jennings are related in some way, maybe Jason being Jennings’ grandson. However, there is no concrete evidence to support this theory.
Although there is no direct relation between Jelly Roll and Waylon Jennings, there is one interesting connection between them, Struggle Jennings – the step-grandson of Waylon Jennings and the nephew of Shooter Jennings (the son of Waylon and Jessi Colter).
Struggle and Jelly Roll – @Getty
Struggle Jennings is an American hip-hop artist from Nashville, Tennessee.
He was born William Curtis Harness Jr. on May 31, 1980, and began his career as a rapper in 2013.
Struggle and Jason released four albums together, Waylon & Willie, I, II, III, and IV. The albums were both critically acclaimed and helped to cement their friendship further. Interestingly, both Jason and Struggle were in prison.
“We kind of immediately ended up connecting with each,” Jason said in an interview with ChadArmesTV about the first time he met Struggle Jennings.
Are Lil Wyte and Jelly Roll related?
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Now that we have settled the question of whether Jelly Roll is related to Waylon Jennings, some fans also wonder if Lil Wyte and Jelly Roll are related.
Lil Wyte is a rapper from Memphis, Tennessee, who started his career in 2003 by releasing his debut album “Doubt Me Now.” It was released via Hypnotize Minds, and it has sold 360,000 copies.
Lil has collaborated with many artists, including DJ Paul, Juicy J, Frayser Boy, Three 6 Mafia, and Josey Scott.
Lil Wyte and DeFord have collaborated several times over the years on various projects, including the songs – Break The Knob Off, Back to the Start, Never Knew, and Problem Wit It.
In 2023, DeFord even said that his ‘best friend’ Lil Wyte changed his career.
This close relationship between them suggests that there may be some connection beyond just being fellow rappers from Tennessee. However, Lil Wyte and Jelly Roll are not related.
Are Haystak and Jelly Roll related?
Haystak and Tha City Paper – @Getty
Haystak is an American rapper also from Tennessee who was born on March 22, 1973, as Jason Winfree.
His grandparents raised him.
Haystak and Jelly Roll first collaborated on the album Strictly Business in 2011. Business as Usual, released in 2013, was their second collaboration.
However, Haystak and Jelly Roll are also not related.
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I am Bulgarea Candin Stefan, and I founded FamousPeopleToday.com in 2018. I’m using my bachelor’s degree in economics and 9 years of experience in blogging to guide millions of people through the incredibly complex world of celebrity net worths.