Chart-topping country rock musician Jelly Roll, real name Jason Bradley DeFord, is a father to two kids: daughter Bailee Ann, 17, and son Noah Buddy, 9. As his music career continues to rise, Jelly Roll has kept a firm focus on fatherhood, as he skillfully walks the line between being a public figure and keeping his kids' life private.
A rare public sighting of the singer’s son during his college basketball game appearance has once more put focus back on his family life.
At the end of 2008, Jelly Roll welcomed his first child with Bailee Ann. The 41-year-old artist was in jail at the time for drug related charges.
The moment he found out that Bailee was born is something he has long said turned his life around.
More than a anything in this earth— I love being a father pic.twitter.com/vO2CxqTdFF
— Jelly Roll (@JellyRoll615) August 13, 2020
In various interviews Jelly Roll speaks openly about how having his daughter made him reflect on the way he was living and ultimately start working towards long-term stability.
He worked his way to become the person Bailee has transformed into now, a strong and caring young woman.
In 2016, Jelly Roll and his wife, podcast host and influencer Bunnie XO (also known as Bunniee Warner), were awarded primary custody of Bailee after her mother’s substance abuse problems.
Nowadays, Bailee resides with the couple and she has been very vocal about how she was able to overcome the difficulties of her early childhood with honesty and determination.
Like her dad, Bailee has turned to creativity as an emotional release. She co-wrote the song “Tears Could Talk,” which she released at age 10, and has performed with Jelly Roll onstage multiple times, most notably during his Backroad Baptism Tour.
On August 23, 2016 Jelly Roll became the proud father of a son, Noah Buddy DeFord. Noah, like Bailee, is kept for the most part out of the public with Noah’s mom Shannon’s request.
For the most part, Noah isn’t present in interviews or on social media but he is centrally involved in their family dynamic and features prominently with the family while taking vacations and outings.
On December 6, 2025 Jelly Roll gave fans a shocker by bringing Noah to the Tennessee Volunteers vs. Illinois Fighting Illini in a basketball game in Nashville.
In 2025, Jelly Roll took Noah to Monster Jam, where the 9-year-old was seen riding the legendary Grave Digger truck.
On the other hand, now preparing for college, Bailee Ann has indicated an interest in studying law, specifically criminal defense, a direction rooted in her own life experiences.
With his ever growing fame, Jelly Roll remains focused first and foremost on being a father to Bailee as well as Noah, who he makes sure gets the most out of everything in life.
Whether through their musical collaborations or groundbreaking achievements, or rare public appearances, the singer’s profound attachment to his children continues to be an anchor in his life.
TOPICS: Jelly Roll, Bailee Ann, Jason Bradley DeFord, Noah Buddy DeFord, Human Interest, Tears Could Talk, Tennessee Volunteers