It was a big weekend for music in Los Angeles. Between the major FireAid benefit concert and the Grammy Awards, the stars were out in full force supporting wildfire recovery efforts.
But that wasn’t all.
Country star Jelly Roll partnered with Live Nation to host a benefit concert of his own on Saturday, February 1, at the Rose Bowl.
There were about 16,000 people in attendance, all of whom were emergency personnel, including more than 1,000 incarcerated firefighters from across the state.
Live Nation covered the costs of the show and helped ensure that all of the emergency responders could enjoy a night of entertainment and gratitude, as the fires were finally contained just last week.
“I want you to know that you are here tonight because you are a hero or you are a loved one of a hero,” Jelly Roll shared from the stage.
“I knew the moment I was watching this go down all the way in Tennessee, in my house, I thought if I got a chance to go to California, I was gonna play music to everyone who worked their ass off for the last two months trying to keep the rest of this place safe,” he continued.
“Thank y’all for having me tonight — this is awesome!”
The 30-song show lasted over two hours, with a lineup of special guests, including Nate Smith, Lainey Wilson, Shinedown, Marshmello, and Public Enemy.
Among the audience were members from California Professional Fire Fighters, the National Guard, California Conservation Corps, CDCR (incarcerated firefighters and staff), the L.A. Police Department, the L.A. Sheriff’s Department, the Pasadena Police Department, the Sierra Madre Police Department, the Arcadia Police Department, Angels National Forest, Ventura Training Center, and FirstTix members and their families.
Jelly Roll sang hits like “Liar,” “Son of a Sinner,” “I Am Not Okay,” and “Need A Favor.” He also joined in on duets with Shinedown to sing “Second Chance,” and Nate Smith’s “Whiskey on You.”
The show culminated in a duet performance from Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson performing their Grammy-nominated hit “Save Me.”
“Music has the power to bring joy and healing,” Geni Lincoln, president of California, Live Nation Concerts, said in a statement.
“We’re honored to partner with Jelly Roll to offer that to those who’ve served the Los Angeles community during the devastating wildfires and the rebuilding process.”
The singer’s work to support incarcerated firefighters stands out in the advocacy efforts in the area, as he, too, has a history of incarceration.
The singer had been arrested multiple times in his earlier years on drug-related offenses. In prison, he said he wrote countless songs, and in addition to getting his GED and becoming a father, got on a path of recovery.
Now, he uses his platform to uplift other incarcerated people. Last year, he even included incarcerated performers on stage with him after volunteering at a program that teaches music therapy to folks recovering from substance use disorders.
He has also testified before Congress to help pass fentanyl reforms and donated $250,000 to finance the construction of a recording studio within the Davidson County Juvenile Detention Center in Nashville, where he had spent time in his teenage years.
Recognizing the hard work of the incarcerated firefighters in L.A. was just one more step in Jelly Roll’s commitment to providing joy and dignity to people impacted by the justice system.
“Get rid of stuff that makes you feel like a caged animal,” Jelly Roll said at the opening of the youth center in Nashville last year.
“Make these kids feel loved and give them a chance in life. A lot of these kids are victims of their circumstances. This is a really great chance to change things.”
Header image courtesy of Getty Images
