‘Stand Together as One’: Route 91 Country Music Stars React After Las Vegas Shooting
The country artists offered prayers, shared experiences — and one even released a new song.
It was billed as a place where people from around the world could come together for a good time. But on Sunday, the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas ended in a torrent of bullets, blood and bewilderment.
So far, 59 have died at the hands of one gunman who targeted the crowd of country music fans from the 32nd story of the nearby Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Over 500 were injured. It is the largest mass shooting in U.S. history. The killer was found dead from suicide as police entered his room.
In the wake of the massacre, the country stars who performed at Route 91 remain as shocked as their fans. Many were still enjoying the festival at the time of the shooting. Some took shelter after the first shots rang out. Others immediately tweeted news of the shooting with messages to loved ones.
Singer Jason Aldean was closing out the three-day festival when the attack began. In a raw Instagram post, Aldean called for Americans to come together.
“At the end of the day we arent [sic] Democrats or Republicans, Whites or Blacks, Men or Women,” he wrote. “We are all humans and we are all Americans and its time to start acting like it and stand together as ONE!”
Sam Hunt was a member of the festival’s leading lineup, along with Aldean and Eric Church. On Monday he posted Psalm 91 on Instagram. The passage opens with these relevant words:
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2)
Former American Idol runner-up Lauren Alaina said the crowd at Route 91 “was one of the best I’ve played for all year.” She later tweeted that she was going to “pray and pray and pray” for Las Vegas.
Praying for everyone at Route 91. That crowd was one of the best I've played for all year. This news is devastating. My camp is home & safe.
— Lauren Alaina (@Lauren_Alaina) October 2, 2017
Like Alaina, the Brothers Osborne said Route 91 was one of the best crowds they ever played for. They encouraged fans in a statement to hold on to the “sacred” feelings of love, joy and “pure happiness” they witnessed earlier in the festival. Earlier they had thanked first responders on Twitter. “While we run to safety, they run into chaos.”
A huge amount of love to the first responders in Las Vegas.
While we run to safety, they run into chaos. Thank you all so much.
— Brothers Osborne (@brothersosborne) October 2, 2017
Josh Abbott, lead singer of the Josh Abbott Band, asked his followers to “say some prayers” after the shooting began Sunday. He continued to provide updates throughout the night, including after he reunited with his fiance who was staying in the Mandalay hotel. “I’ll never unhear those gunshots,” he tweeted.
I'll never unhear those gunshots; and our band & crew will never forget how that moment made them feel. Our hearts are with all the victims
— Josh Abbott (@joshabbottband) October 2, 2017
Singer Jake Owen tweeted “Gun shots!!!” late Sunday night. “Pray to god. Love you guys. Love you Pearl.” Pearl is Owen’s four-year-old daughter. He later tweeted that “no one knew where to go” during the attack. He also thanked Las Vegas Police Department “for keeping us safe.”
Gun shots were ringing off of the stage rigging and road cases. No one knew where to go..thank you LVPD and responders for keeping us safe
— Jake Owen (@jakeowen) October 2, 2017
Country duo Big & Rich tweeted a video of themselves leading the crowd in “God Bless America” one hour before the attack. “It’s time to unify,” they said in the caption. They later tweeted a statement, saying “we all must continue to be the light that pushes back against this raging darkness with the unstoppable love of God.”
This is a POWERFUL moment of American unity. It's time to unify. We love the fans and are heartbroken #prayforvegas pic.twitter.com/ZNd5vBliRB
— Big & Rich (@bigandrich) October 3, 2017
Texas singer Maren Morris, who played the festival on Friday, said she was “heartbroken for all those lives taken too soon.” She also released a new song. Morris wrote “Dear Hate” three years ago, recording it last year with Vince Gill.
“I never knew when would be the right time,” she said of releasing the song, “but today I realized that there’s never a right time” because “hate is everywhere.” She tweeted a link to the song on YouTube. Morris later announced that “Dear Hate” would be released on iTunes Friday. All proceeds from the song will go toward Music City Cares Fund. The fund was set up to help victims of the Las Vegas shooting.
https://t.co/oQWJBExFwV pic.twitter.com/aZXAN1WIdL
— MAREN MORRIS (@MarenMorris) October 2, 2017
While haunting in light of Sunday’s attack, the lyrics of Morris’ “Dear Hate” convey a hopeful truth.
Dear Hate
I saw you on the news today
Like a shock that takes my breath away
You fall like rain, cover us in drops of paint
I’m afraid that we just might drown
Dear Hate
Well, you sure are colorblind
Your kiss is the cruelest kind
You could poison any mind
Just look at mine
Don’t know how this world keeps spinning ’round and round
You were there in the garden like a snake in the grass
I see you in the morning staring through the looking glass
You whisper down through history and echo through these halls
But I hate to tell you, love’s gonna conquer all …
