Eric Ahlgrim
Bluegrass artist and Middle Tennessee State University alum, Jaelee Roberts, is opening for Chris Young at our annual Music in the City event on February 7.
We asked Roberts about her love for music, performing, and the Grand Ole Opry. Get to know the artist, below. Plus, click here to purchase a ticket to the event and see Roberts perform live.
Nashville Lifestyles: You knew from a very young age that you wanted to be a singer/musician. What was your motivation, inspiration, or driving force behind that?
Jaelee Roberts: To be honest, I don't have any memories that don't include wanting to be a singer and musician. It truly is the only thing I have ever wanted to do! My parents say that I started talking and singing at the same time and that I could sing harmony parts when I was three-years-old. I started taking fiddle lessons when I was four-years-old and I loved it. I went on to learn other instruments as well. I think my motivation, inspiration, and driving force are all wrapped up together in the certainty that music is what I was meant to do. It is my life’s plan.
NL: You joined a touring band at sixteen-years-old. What was it like getting out on the road at such a young age?
JR: It was awesome! My parents were so supportive of me and actually encouraged me to do it (instead of being hesitant about it) because they knew that the experience would be very valuable to me... and it was. It was also a lot of fun to be that age and traveling and getting paid to play music.
NL: Tell us about your debut single, “All My Tears.” What did that song mean to you at the time? What does it mean to you now?
JR: Recording “All My Tears” and having it released to radio when I was still in high school was incredible. The song itself, written by Julie Miller, is haunting and beautiful at the same time and I love the powerful message of the song. Hearing it come to life with my voice was surreal. It was very humbling to have Deanie Richardson and Brandon Bostic believe in me and make this recording possible. I am very grateful for the first single and it will always be very special to me. I signed my current recording contract with Mountain Home Records when I was nineteen-years-old and my album Something You Didn’t Count On, was released in May 2022. It won the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America Album of the Year award which is still hard to believe! I am so proud of my debut album and that I co-wrote four of the album’s songs (including the title cut), as well as having half of the album appear on various music charts. It is very validating.
NL: You graduated Middle Tennessee State University's College of Media and Entertainment with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commercial Songwriting with a focus in Music in Business. What did you learn from the programming? How has it helped to shape your career?
JR: I graduated from MTSU in August 2023 and that is something that will always be one of my life’s greatest accomplishments. My parents (especially my mom) were insistent that I would attend college to get a Bachelor degree and MTSU’s Recording Industry program was my first choice. I was so worried that the world was going to pass me by and my career was going to stall out by spending four years in college but it was absolutely the right decision in so many ways. The education that I received at MTSU was stellar and the classes that I took absolutely helped me to be a better, more prepared artist, with an understanding of all aspects of the music business. I know how valuable that is. I have also received a great deal of support from faculty and I know that they will always be there for me cheering me on and helping any way they can. I can’t say enough good things about MTSU’s College of Media and Entertainment!
NL: You were invited to join GRAMMY Award-nominated bluegrass group, Sister Sadie, and have been playing guitar and singing lead vocals with them for a few years. What has that experience been like?
JR: Simply put, playing with Sister Sadie has been a life-changing experience. To be part of this band, standing on stage with these incredible musicians, singers, and songwriters, is something that I will forever be grateful for and has changed the course of my music career. I was invited to be a member of Sister Sadie when I was twenty-years-old and all of the opportunities that being in the band has given me is immeasurable. I’ve been encouraged and supported and given the freedom to grow and become part of something that I am so proud of. I love Sister Sadie and the music we create together and I am so excited to see what the future holds for us.
NL: You have played with stars like Ricky Skaggs, Ashley McBryde, and Vince Gill. Has there been a single performance or moment with an artist that sticks out to you and why?
JR: There have been several special moments but I think I have to go with a recent performance that I did for an artist rather than with an artist. In October 2023, Sister Sadie was invited to perform in honor of Patty Loveless at the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony and we did her song “Sounds of Loneliness.” That was the most intimidating, overwhelming, and emotional experience for me... singing a song that Patty Loveless wrote while looking right at her. Truly indescribable with words and just thinking about it still makes me want to cry (and I did cry!). Patty Loveless is one of my biggest heroes and musical inspirations and I still can’t believe I had the opportunity to be in that moment. To top it off, all of the other CMHoF members that were in attendance were seated just behind Patty Loveless and to see that group of legends together in that setting was magical.
NL: You made your Grand Ole Opry debut as a solo artist on September 19, 2023. In a few words how would you describe that achievement?
JR: Well, trying to talk about making my solo Grand Ole Opry debut is hard to do with just a few words but I’ll try. Ha! My dad plays mandolin with GRAMMY-nominated bluegrass band The Grascals (and my mom is in the music business), so I started going to the Opry with them when I was three- or four-years-old. I quite literally grew up backstage there. I used to get my picture taken with Little Jimmy Dickens every time I saw him and I used those to measure how tall I was getting. True story! All I have thought of and dreamed about since the first time I was there was singing on that stage and being part of the Opry family, so being invited to debut as a solo artist was truly a dream come true. The story about the invitation to make my Opry debut is a good one and maybe we can talk about that another time, but I can say with certainty that walking out on that revered stage, standing in the Circle and looking down and thinking about all of the people that stood there before me is a feeling that I’ll remember for the rest of my life. It's my hope to get to experience it many more times. I love the Opry with my whole heart and it’s my favorite place in the world!