Country music star Jelly Roll is one step away from receiving a full pardon after a recommendation from the Tennessee Board of Parole.

The Nashville Native, whose given name is Jason DeFord and often speaks of his past criminal record for drug and robbery convictions, was given unanimous approval by the board after a hearing on Tuesday. A final decision on his full pardon will be made by Governor Lee.

“This was incredible,” Mr. DeFord said after the board hearing in Nashville. “I pray this goes through.”

“But today was special for me, regardless.”

The Grammy winning singer, who grew up in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville, has a list of serious convictions from past transgressions in his youth, including for robbery at 17-years-old where a female acquaintance aided him and two other men in committing a home invasion robbery. They entered the home and demanded money from the victims before making off with $350 and a wallet with no cash. Since the female acquaintance was known to the victims, she and Jelly Roll were arrested for the 2002 incident, and he served a year in prison as a result.

In 2008, during a car stop, cops found marijuana and crack cocaine in his vehicle. He was charged and sentenced to eight years’ probation.

While speaking before the board on Tuesday, Jelly Roll said that it was during his incarceration that he fell in love with music and songwriting.

“It started as a passion project that felt therapeutic and would end up changing my life in ways that I never dreamed imaginable and opened doors that I’ve never thought possible,” he said.

Since his career as a musician has skyrocketed, Jelly Roll has made it a regular habit to visit jails and rehabilitation centers in numerous cities before his concerts. He’s also bought out entire restaurants to feed the homeless and played basketball with children at local youth centers.

Among the reasons in his application for pardon was to enable him to travel to Canada to perform. Currently he needs to apply for a special permit, which often has a long wait for a decision to come down, each time he wants to enter the country.

 “I want to be an inspiration for people who are now where I used to be — to let them know that change is truly possible,” he said to the board. “One of the reasons I’m asking for your recommendation for this pardon is because I’m looking to take my message of redemption through the power of music and faith through the rest of the world.”

Jelly Roll, who is a devout Christian, also said he hopes to be able to take on evangelical missions after his career in music is over.

“I’ll still be using this same pardon, God willing, to go do missionary work in my 50s and 60s,” he said to the board.