Jelly Roll & Ruby Major Elementary Perform ‘I Am Not Okay’ At Grand Ole Opry

Jelly Roll performed at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville on Wednesday. In an emotional moment, the singer-songwriter welcomed children from Ruby Major Elementary School to perform the Nashville area native’s song “I Am Not Okay.”

Ahead of the performance, Jelly Roll addressed the Opry audience and detailed what inspired the collaboration:

My old high school had a tragedy earlier this year, Antioch High School. Because of the children in the room, I don’t even want to instill that fear, but y’all know what happened. If you know, you know. And it was really sad. It was my old school.

And of course, I went back as soon as I could to help, but before I could make it, some children at Ruby Elementary School right here in Nashville in Hermitage, Tennessee, about 16 minutes down the street, had a genius music teacher named Mr. K who has been teaching these beautiful souls that music is powerful and that music can help people in really dark moments of their lives.

And these kids, all on their own… I’m gonna cry. Somebody say something funny, please. But these kids, they sung a song of mine called “I’m Not Okay.” And they sent it to the high schoolers because they said maybe the big kids need the little kids to inspire them right now.

Well ever since then I have been looking for a reason to bring these talented kids on a stage to sing this song.

Watch Jelly Roll and the Ruby Major Elementary choir perform “I Am Not Okay” below: