Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO: Their Kids, Explained

Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO don’t share biological children together, but Bunnie has long been a central stepmother to Jelly Roll’s two kids: daughter Bailee Ann DeFord and son Noah Buddy DeFord.

When Jelly Roll talks about fatherhood, it doesn’t sound like a label he wears—it sounds like a turning point he lived through.

Jason DeFord. better known as Jelly Roll. is a dad to two children from previous relationships: daughter Bailee Ann DeFord and son Noah Buddy DeFord. Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO. his wife of a decade. have built their family around that reality—so much so that Bunnie has often referred to his kids as her own family.

Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO do not share any biological children together. They married in 2016 after meeting the year before. and since then Bunnie has played a major role in helping raise her now-estranged husband’s two children from his earlier relationships. Their marriage ended in May 2026, when the country music singer filed for divorce from his wife.

Jelly Roll has spoken openly about how fatherhood changed him. His eldest child, Bailee Ann, was born on May 22, 2008. He has frequently credited her birth with changing the direction of his life. noting that at the time. he was incarcerated. Learning that he was going to become a father motivated him to make major changes and focus on building a better future.

His son, Noah Buddy, arrived in August 2016—just days before Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO married. Noah has been kept out of the public eye. and Jelly Roll and Bunnie have explained that they respect Noah’s privacy and the wishes of his mother. Even so, fans occasionally catch glimpses of him through social media posts.

During an August 2023 interview with Taste of Country, Jelly Roll said Noah accompanies the rest of the family on trips. When the whole family goes on vacation, Jelly Roll said they “always try to shoot [social media posts] around him” out of respect for Noah and his mother’s privacy.

He also described how he and Bunnie share parenting responsibilities around Bailee. “With Bailee. I’m the full-time parent. I’m the judge. the jury and the executioner. when it comes to decisions with her. ” Jelly Roll explained. since he and Bunnie have primary custody of Bailee. He added. “I try not to get in the way of what [Noah’s mom] is building over there. and I never want to step on her toes. with what she’s doing with him. that I want to just respect that boundary.”.

Bailee has occasionally stepped into the spotlight alongside her famous father, appearing at red carpet premieres and other public events. She has also spoken candidly about overcoming challenges from her childhood and the close relationship she shares with both Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO.

The children’s mothers are different. Bailee Ann was born to Jelly Roll’s former girlfriend, Felicia Beckwith. During Bailee’s early years, Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO eventually gained primary custody of her, and Bunnie became a central parental figure in her life.

Noah Buddy was born to a woman named Melisa, who has remained out of the public eye. Jelly Roll and Bunnie have spoken out about maintaining a respectful co-parenting relationship to honor her privacy.

And through the public moments and the boundaries they’ve chosen to keep, the picture that emerges is clear: while Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO aren’t parenting together as biological parents, they’ve treated the children’s needs—especially privacy and respect—as the foundation of their family life.

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