How Jelly Roll's Daughter Bailee Is Totally Different Than He Was At Her Age

Jelly Roll's tragic life story resembles perseverance and recovery for many, but he still has his fears for his daughter, Bailee Ann DeFord. The country singer has been open about his troubled past, from his throws with addiction to the time Jelly Roll had to spend in prison when his daughter was born. Needless to say, the family has come a long way as Bailee joined him on tour in 2023.

When Jelly Roll was Bailee's age, his life was headed down a much different path. He was arrested for aggravated assault and subsequently tried as an adult, and served over a year in prison. When recounting the story to Billboard in 2023, he detailed the memory: "This is a grown man looking back at a 16-year-old kid that made the worst decision that he could have made in life and people could have got hurt and, by the grace of God, thankfully, nobody did."

Now that his daughter has reached the age that Jelly Roll was when he was sinking into a life of crime, he's found himself in a tricky spot with parenting. In a cover story for People in 2024, Jelly shared his approach to parenting now that he has teenagers. "I don't judge you based on what you do. I judge you based on what I know you're capable of. You're so much smarter than I was at 16. You're so much better, so much more emotionally intelligent. You can read a room so much better." Jelly Roll's being so honest about his past has allowed him to become a trailblazer, and his daughter recognizes that, and wants to make the same name for herself.

Bailee Ann DeFord has an idea for what career path she wants to take, and her dad was the inspiration. Bailee Ann frequently appears as a guest on her stepmother, Bunnie XO's, podcast, "Dumb Blonde." On an episode from November 2024, she and Bunnie chatted about her future. She's currently still in high school, but as any child of a celebrity is, she is constantly asked if she's going to pursue music: "As for music, I don't have any plans for it right now." Her passion lies elsewhere, for the time being, in criminal defense.

"I wanna go to Columbia for law," she admitted candidly. This choice comes as no surprise considering everything her father has been through. Jelly Roll has disclosed that he's been to jail about 40 times throughout his life, with his first arrest coming at the age of 14.

"I think it's very complex. It's very complex, morally and legally. There's a lot of loopholes," she added later. "And whatever field I get into, I'm ready to turn it upside down." No matter what direction Bailee Ann chooses to take, she has a bright future ahead of her.