A Surprise Visit From Jelly Roll at the Royal

Set to headline Ottawa Bluesfest on July 9, 2024, Nashville artist Jelly Roll had a different idea about how to see the city. A huge proponent of raising awareness for mental health he went straight from the airport to the Royal Ottawa Hospital to give a performance to staff and patients. A brief talk about his life and what led him to overcome many issues was followed by a wonderful acoustic concert where he played a few of his hit songs.

The event was attended by inpatients, outpatients, and a few specially invited organizations, such as the Wabano Centre, as well as Royal Ottawa staff. After the concert, Jelly handed out autographs and then spent the next few hours in a variety of wards at the hospital talking with residents before heading to the festival where he performed to an audience of over twenty five thousand.

“It’s very rare that an artist actually approaches us to come into the community and do something,” Ottawa Bluesfest director and founder Mark Monahan said.

The festival has had an ongoing relationship with the Royal Ottawa through the Be in the Band program, which has been taking place at the hospital every year for the past 13 years. The program partners youth between the ages of 11-17 who are interested in being in a band with a local musician as coach. They work together for 8-10 weeks toward an opportunity to perform at the festival. This year, three bands from The Royal as well as 15 others from within Ottawa and the surrounding area will be showcased at the festival on Sunday July 14, 2024.