Jason Aldean Recalls How ‘Stunned’ Everyone Was During Vegas Shooting
“Nobody knew what was happening, that was the thing. Everybody was just kind of looking around. I mean, that’s the last thing you think is going to be happening during a show," he described to Ellen DeGeneres.
Never will Jason Aldean ever forget the moment he realized that the Route 91 massacre was actually happening during his show, and he still remembers the night without any doubt.
Although he and his band thought the popping sounds of bullets were just a faulty amp, Aldean admitted during an interview on The Ellen Show that his security person just started to run him off stage. He even recognized how confused fans were as well, not understanding that a mass shooting was taking place in the middle of the concert set.
“Nobody knew what was happening, that was the thing. Everybody was just kind of looking around. I mean, that’s the last thing you think is going to be happening during a show. I think everybody was just kinda stunned, and really didn’t know what to do or what was going on or anything,” Aldean told host Ellen DeGeneres.
Jason Aldean performs at the 53RD ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 15, 2018 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on CBS. Photo: Michele Crowe/CBS ©2018 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Just a few days later, Aldean and his family returned to Las Vegas to say hello to many of the victims fighting for their lives in the hospital. The visit inspired him to be a little bit stronger emotionally about the incident, and he will always honor the spirit that his fans had despite the horrific circumstances.
“I felt like people were there to see my show and obviously, the last thing you want is for anybody to get hurt. So, it was tough to go back and see people in the hospital and some of them in comas and things like that. It was rough…one of the hardest things, probably, I’ve ever had to do, but it was also—to me, seeing them and some of the strength they had just being just happy to be alive and make it through that—it sorta allowed me to look at it in a different light too and be like, ‘If these people can come back from it and have that sort of attitude, then I got nothing to be whining about,’” the singer explained even further.
Aldean also used his time on the show to perform his single, “You Make It Easy,” to an adoring crowd who soaked up the country ballad.
Currently, Aldean just released his album, Rearview Town, which is available now.
