Did Jelly Roll pay a tearful tribute to Charlie Kirk mid-concert? Viral claim debunked

Several recent Facebook posts claimed country singer Jelly Roll paid a tribute to Charlie Kirk during one of his shows. According to the post, initially shared by a fan page for the singer on September 12, Jelly, born Jason Bradley DeFord, performed in Nashville the previous night.

During his concert, the singer supposedly "delivered a moment so powerful it left an entire stadium breathless." The post continued to describe:

"In the middle of his set...just as the music thundered and the lights blazed...he suddenly stopped. Holding the microphone close, his voice rang out across the crowd, asking everyone to join him in a one-minute moment of silence for Charlie Kirk and the innocent lives lost on 9/11."

Over 25,000 audience members purportedly stood in silence for one minute, an act which was "radiant with unity" despite being laden with sorrow. The Facebook post claimed Jelly began to sing God Bless America in a soft yet gradually stronger voice. The caption continued to detail the audience's reaction:

"The crowd erupted...tens of thousands of voices soaring together, filling the night sky with a chorus of hope and pride. American flags waved high. Tears streamed down faces. What had been silence became a tidal wave of song, spirit, and unbreakable togetherness."

The caption claimed Jelly did not pause his concert, rather, he transformed his show into a "sacred tribute, a reminder of loss, resilience, and the grace of a nation standing as one."

A collage of three of Jelly's photos accompanied the caption. One of the images depicted him waving the US flag, the other showed the singer squeezing his eyes shut to stop his tears as he stood in front of the microphone. The third photo captured Jelly trying to hold back his tears as he held the microphone stand.

The viral post garnered over 55,000 likes and has been shared more than 4,600 times.

However, this viral claim about Jelly Roll pausing his concert to pay his tribute to the slain conservative commentator, Charlie Kirk, is false. The 40 year old singer has not yet addressed Kirk's assassination that took place in Utah, on September 10.

Many commenters pointed out how the photos shared in the viral post were old, since Jelly Roll lost 200 pounds in August.

Several posts about Jelly Roll made by the fan page's admin, Hi Wisdom, are fake. On September 13, the admin made another claim that Jelly pledged to bear the educational and living expenses for Charlie Kirk's son and daughter. This claim is similarly false, as the singer has not yet publicly spoken about Kirk's passing or his wife and kids.

Jelly Roll declared he wouldn't perform in Nashville until 2027

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On May 30, during the Music City Rodeo event at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, Jelly Roll announced mid-concert:

"I shouldn't say this, I'm gonna get in trouble. But I gotta say it out loud."

He revealed:

"This will be my last Nashville show until 2027, y'all. Hear me out, though. This is why, because I need y'all's help."

Referring to the new Nissan Stadium that is currently under construction, Jelly said he wants to be the "first act" to play at the venue once it opens in 2027. Jelly made a wish for himself:

"In 2027, Nissan Stadium, please let the local boy live a dream and open up the new stadium, let me be the first to play it, baby! Let the local boy do it, baby! I've got a f***ing life-long Titans fan. Let me play Nissan Stadium, y'all"

Despite announcing his hiatus from hosting a gig in Nashville, Jelly Roll assured fans, he believes in the city and its crowd, adding that his fans could make his dream come true.