In recent months, Jelly Roll, who is nominated for the 2024 Country Music Association Awards’ Entertainer of the Year, has sold out approximately 60 shows while promoting his latest album, “Beautifully Broken.”

At the conclusion of his performances, a house structure goes up in flames with the performer inside, only to be doused with water from above, symbolically renewing his Nashville roots.

The song that accompanies this moment is “Save Me.” Although Jelly Roll is recognized for the coveted Entertainer of the Year award at this Wednesday’s CMA Awards, he has his sights set on a different honor this year.

“I’d love to win ‘Musical Event of the Year’ with Lainey Wilson for ‘Save Me.’ It’d be like a ‘Musical Event of a Lifetime’ because this song has profoundly transformed my life three times,” he expressed to The Tennessean, part of the YSL News Network.

In just four years, the heartfelt ballad about “souls damaged beyond repair” has transitioned from a niche song in Nashville to a worldwide favorite, resonating with a variety of artists, including Wilson and the iconic rapper Eminem.

Conversations with Jelly Roll’s childhood friend and co-writer of “Save Me,” David Ray, as well as BMG Nashville executives Jon Loba and JoJamie Hahr, and Wilson, the reigning Entertainer of the Year, demonstrate the song’s significant effects on their lives as well.

The Creation of ‘Save Me’

While preparing his album “Self-Medicated,” released in October 2020, Jelly Roll secured a distribution agreement with BMG Nashville.

On the finale of the album’s 17-day recording session conducted in May and June 2020 in Nashville, Ray reminisces about strumming a guitar riff and singing lyrics that would eventually evolve into “Save Me.”

“Somebody save me  save me from myself,” was all Ray had at that moment. Jelly Roll, distracted by his phone, instantly tuned in.

They exchanged surprised looks before diving into the process of quickly writing and refining the song into a soulful, solemn ballad, a significant change from anything they had created together over the past 20 years. They recorded it later that day, June 3, 2020.

Two weeks afterward, on June 16, Jelly Roll energetically called Ray while he was mowing his expansive 30-acre property in Dickson, Tennessee, an hour from Music City.

“I went from bush-hogging my property to snatching my acoustic guitar and racing to the ‘Save Me’ music video shoot at Sound Emporium in less than an hour,” Ray reflected.

“This video is different for me because I usually don’t create these stripped-back acoustic versions, but writing this song touched me, and I felt you all deserved a glimpse into the more vulnerable aspects of the music industry,” Jelly Roll noted in the video’s description for his enthusiastic YouTube audience.

Jelly Roll’s Rap Origins and Connection to Eminem

The backstory of “Save Me” reveals deeper roots for Jelly Roll, who experienced legal troubles as a ninth-grader for drug dealing and faced incarceration when learning about the arrival of his daughter, Bailee Ann.

His journey dates back 20 years to the Outer Limits nightclub.

Freestyle rap battles, made famous by the Eminem film “8 Mile,” were regularly hosted there, and emerging artists like Haystak recognized Jelly Roll’s potential.

“Jelly was simply the best rapper,” Ray recalled. “No one could compete with him. He was the freestyle champion in our area.”

After Eminem released “Somebody Save Me,” a song sampling “Save Me,” Jelly Roll took to social media to share his excitement.

“As a teen (and even now), I could recite every song from ‘The Slim Shady LP,’ ‘The Marshall Mathers LP,’ and ‘The Eminem Show.’ When I was released from jail at 17 and began sneaking into cyphers and battles in Nashville, they would often play ‘Lose Yourself’ when I stepped out on stage. I connected with every word Eminem wrote. He understood me, which was a rarity in my life, as I often felt misunderstood,” he recalled.

Ray noted that Eminem sampling their song validated their efforts after years of purchasing his CDs and drawing inspiration from him in navigating the music industry.

Jelly Roll’s Artistic Growth

As an artist, “Save Me” symbolizes Jelly Roll’s transformation from a confident battle rapper to a beloved gospel blues singer in America.

For devoted fans, his high-pitched singing style has become a cherished hallmark of his earlier music. This reverence is akin to the way listeners appreciate Struggle Jennings, his friend and collaborator on the “Waylon and Willie” mixtape, whose deep and gravelly voice leaves a lasting impression.

Ray fondly remembers when he first met Jelly Roll. They were both struggling independent rappers, united by a love for artists like Johnny Cash, Sam Cooke, Al Green, Merle Haggard, and Willie Nelson, among others. This shared passion hinted at the emotional depths they both would explore in their music.

Since then, he has successfully transitioned into a more profitable career as a rapper who has embraced a crooner style, influenced by an array of musical genres.

Wilson Discusses ‘Save Me’

By 2023, “Save Me” had already made a significant impact. Along with the singles “Dead Man Walking” and “Son of A Sinner” from his 2021 album “Ballads of the Broken,” it marked five million singles sold.

Transforming “Save Me” into a duet with Wilson was an impressive decision.

The song’s bluesy essence showcases the evolving confidence and maturity of both singers as they navigate their ascent in country music.

“‘Save Me’ resonates as a duet because, despite our very different backgrounds — I’m a country girl from Baskin, Louisiana, and he’s a gritty city guy from Nashville with tattoos covering his face — the song’s magic lies in our humanity,” Wilson explained. “We start by finding our voices because we have a message to share.”

The shared experiences of overcoming trauma foster a strong connection with country music fans. In addition to “Save Me,” Wilson collaborated with HARDY on the equally somber murder ballad “wait in the truck” in 2022.

Since their duet “Save Me” debuted, both Jelly Roll and Wilson have significantly increased their popularity. The song now symbolizes a profound bond. They are not merely figures taking on the world’s sorrow; they also advocate for those who have found healing and joy through unexpected opportunities.

“Women have often lived the story portrayed in that song but hadn’t heard their experiences reflected in country music for quite some time,” she noted. “Hearing my voice in that track drew them into a narrative they could relate to, especially how it concludes.”

A ‘Unique, Beautiful Power’

“Save Me” isn’t the only modern country song to achieve multiple “lifetimes” in music history.

“The Gambler,” written by Don Schlitz, was two years old before Bobby Bare recorded it in October 1977. Schlitz recorded it himself in March 1978, but it was Kenny Rogers’ version, cut in October 1978, that turned the song into a classic, shortly after Johnny Cash’s rendition.

Bare failed to chart with his version, and Schlitz’s reached No. 65. Rogers’ hit propelled him to become a Grammy-winning artist and a pop crossover sensation.

<p” Tennessee Whiskey” was first recorded by David Allan Coe in 1981, but peaked at No. 77. In August 1983, George Jones cut the song at the same studio where Jelly Roll recorded “Save Me”; it peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart just three months later.

When Chris Stapleton delivered his R&B-infused version of “Tennessee Whiskey” at the CMA Awards in 2015 alongside Justin Timberlake, it was already part of his breakout album “Traveller.” Within six months, it became a platinum-selling chart-topper, and a decade later, it remains a genre-redefining classic, boasting over 14 platinum certifications.

“Save Me” was initially a deep cut on a solo album in 2020 and later became a cornerstone in propelling Jelly Roll and Wilson to stardom just three years later. In 2024, when hip-hop icon Eminem was finalizing tracks for his rumored last album, “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce),” he released “Somebody Save Me,” featuring a chorus sampled from “Save Me.”

“Regardless of the topic, (‘Save Me’) stands out as a deeply relatable and universal song that has resonated with countless listeners. Its ability to absorb the pain of both the singer and the audience is what gives it that unique, beautiful power,” said BMG president Loba.

Eminem Joins the Project

Loba shared his excitement when informed that Eminem’s team wanted to use a sample from “Save Me” for his final album.

Jelly Roll and Eminem’s long-time manager, Paul Rosenberg, had been in discussions for a while before they recorded “Somebody Save Me,” Ray recounted.

After signing a publishing agreement with Warner Chappell, B.J. Hill, their senior vice president of A&R, informed Ray that Interscope Records (Eminem’s label) would reach out to him. While he was in a songwriting session, he got the green light from Eminem to use the sample for his track.

“My high hopes for what the song could become were exceeded. Hearing Lainey’s rendition and then Eminem’s interpretation left me with chills and tears,” Loba expressed.

“At times, a fantastic cover can embody the essence of the original song,” he remarked. “Yet this particular song goes even further, enhancing everything that came before it.”

Jelly Roll expressed his deep emotion upon discovering that Eminem would be sampling his song to highlight the other side of what might have occurred if he had given in to his struggles.

JoJamie Hahr, the executive vice president of recorded music at BMG Nashville, noted that “Save Me” has helped Jelly Roll transition from being an outsider in the country scene to a genuine superstar, breaking boundaries in country music by addressing profound, often daunting topics that resonate deeply with many, yet are seldom spoken of.

According to Hahr, Jelly Roll’s rise to fame illustrates the transformation of modern country music—moving from “more polished” stars like Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw to artists like Jelly Roll and Luke Combs, who embody a relatable, blue-collar grit.

“Authentic individuals are sharing songs about real-life challenges,” Hahr stated plainly.

‘A pact I made with God’

“If it doesn’t resonate, Jelly won’t pursue it,” Ray explained why Jelly Roll has allowed “Save Me” to take on multiple forms.

“Jelly Roll remains sincere and kind-hearted,” he added. “His passionate approach to his career, without a backup plan, has driven him to a point where his dreams became reality.”

When asked the same question, Jelly Roll reflects on his difficult upbringing filled with cycles of imprisonment.

“My journey in music and life stemmed from a promise I made to God while I was at my lowest and scared that if things improved, I wouldn’t know how to handle success,” he shared. “I confessed that I had wasted every chance given to me. I committed that if I regained my footing, I’d acknowledge his support and strive to do right whenever possible.”

“Instances like ‘Save Me’ are my way of fulfilling the promise I made to God,” he stated.