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Jelly Roll shared his heartfelt reaction to Kelly Clarkson’s rendition of one of his biggest hits, “Save Me,” during the Kellyoke segment of The Kelly Clarkson Show. Jelly Roll admitted he “would’ve never believed you,” if anyone told him Clarkson would cover one of his songs, and said he was “honored” as he watched the performance.
“I would’ve never believed you if you would’ve told me that I’d write a song so impactful that incredible Kelly Clarkson would deem it worthy to cover . Thank you Kelly- wow - I’m honored in a way I can’t even described - I cried watching it,” Jelly Roll wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday evening (February 15), tagging Clarkson.
Clarkson performed a powerful cover of the Whitsitt Chapel ballad, which Jelly Roll included on his 13-track album as a duet with reigning CMA Awards Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson. The collection — named after the hometown church Jelly Roll attended in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee — also included “Halfway To Hell,” “Behind Bars” with Brantley Gilbert and Struggle Jennings, “Unlive” with Yelawolf, “Need A Favor” and other highlights. Since releasing the album in June 2023, Jelly Roll has received Grammy Award nominations and won CMA New Artist of the Year, among other milestones.
“Save Me” marked Clarkson’s latest cover of a country artist’s song, following hits by Bailey Zimmerman, Trisha Yearwood, Kacey Musgraves, Kelsea Ballerini, Jo Dee Messina, Brooks & Dunn and many others. Watch her perform Jelly Roll’s “Save Me” here: