Faithwire
  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • News
  • Politics
  • Coronavirus Updates
  • Faith
  • Opinion
  • Christmas
  • Set Free Course

Country Music Star Who Performed at Route 91 Breaks Down While Unveiling Song He Wrote for Victims

YouTube
YouTube
Share Tweet
By Billy Hallowell
Editor

October 6, 2017

Country star Eric Church fought back tears on Wednesday as he paid tribute to the victims of Sunday night’s horrific mass shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas, Nevada.

READ: See These Amazing Kids From Across America Who Brought Their Bibles to School Today

Church, who delivered his touching tribute at Nashville’s famed Grand Ole Opry, also unveiled a song that he wrote for those impacted titled, “Why Not Me,” The Associated Press reported.

Later on in his appearance, he also performed Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and received cheers and support from the crowd as he, at moments, became emotional.

When words fail, music speaks. ? @ericchurch #Opry pic.twitter.com/VnQkvo5YHd

— Grand Ole Opry (@opry) October 5, 2017

The tragedy hit particularly close to home for Church, as he performed at the Route 91 Harvest Festival just two days before gunman Stephen Paddock killed 59 attendees there and injured hundreds more.

“Those were my people,” Church said. “Those were my fans.”

The singer also pointed out two empty seats in the arena that he left for Sonny Melton, a man who died while protecting his wife, Heather, during Sunday’s attack. The two reportedly had tickets to Church’s Wednesday night show.

“I didn’t want to be here tonight … and I didn’t want to walk on this stage,” Church said.

But the singer told the crowd that he saw an interview that Heather Melton did with CNN during which she explained that Sonny was a fan of Church and that she and her husband went to Las Vegas to see him play; that revelation moved him.

“That night, something broke in me,” Church said. “The only way I’ve learned to fixed anything that’s broken in me is with music, so I wrote a song.”

Watch the emotional address and his performance of “Why Not Me” at 4:40-mark below:

 

Latest

  • Faith

    ‘Jesus Has All Authority’: Candace Cameron Bure Says ‘Powerful Enemy’ Attacked Her Home

  • culture

    ‘I Thank God’: Incredibly Happy Ending to Crazy Rescue That Sent Good Samaritans Fleeing Into Bustling Traffic

  • culture

    Disney Support Appears to Tank Amid Uproar Over Florida’s ‘Parental Rights’ Law

  • Faith

    ‘Why Did You Choose to Have Me?’: Fox News Host Asks His Mom On-Air Why She Chose Life After Getting Pregnant as a Teen

  • Faith

    Wynonna Judd Praises ‘Pentecostal’ God During CMT Show Honoring Her Late Mother Naomi Judd


Navigation

  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
  • Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Sign up to get our newsletter your inbox every day.

Newsletter Signup

Do you want to read
more articles like this?