Charles Esten, Keith Urban & More Unite at Nashville Vigil Honoring Las Vegas Shooting Victims

Each of the guests at the vigil emphasized the community and family ties that unite Nashville with all those in need during times of tragedy.

Written by Kelly Brickey
Charles Esten, Keith Urban & More Unite at Nashville Vigil Honoring Las Vegas Shooting Victims
NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 02: People gather at the Ascend Amphitheater for a vigil honoring the victims of the mass shooting in Las Vegas on October 2, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. At least 58 people were killed and 500 wounded at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas Sunday night. (Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)

When tragedy strikes, Nashville does what it knows best: the town pulls together as a community to honor the lost lives and spread love across the country.

Music City put together an impromptu candle vigil on Monday night (Oct. 2) to remember the victims who lost their lives or were injured in the Las Vegas shooting on Sunday. Opening up the outdoor Ascend Amphitheater, Nashville residents were encouraged to join together at the event for an evening of grief and observance.

Charles Esten of CMT’s Nashville opened the vigil with kind remarks about the community Nashville builds and then extends further to other cities when times are tough. Touching on the kinship that country music brings to the table, Esten pointed out that fans of the genre create a bond that’s unbreakable no matter what the situation is and everyone must always embrace one another in dark circumstances.

“You know, country music, they call it an industry and it is. They call it a community sometimes and it is. But in the end, what it really turns out to be is a family. And we are all a part of that family. And Nashville is that family’s home. So right now, we are caring about family and we are reaching out and letting them know that we do care about them,” Esten told the solemn crowd.

NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 02: Actor/Singer/Songwriter Charles Esten during Nashville Candelight Vigil For Las Vegas at Ascend Amphitheater on October 2, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images)

NASHVILLE, TN – OCTOBER 02: Actor/Singer/Songwriter Charles Esten during Nashville Candelight Vigil For Las Vegas at Ascend Amphitheater on October 2, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images)

Sally Williams, Senior Vice President of Programming and Artist Relations for Opry Entertainment, reiterated Esten’s family mission that the city of Nashville holds tightly to and encouraged folks in Music City to love on the ones returning home after witnessing such a tragedy.

“Over the next couple of days, Nashvillians who were on site last night [Oct. 1] will be returning home. It will be our responsibility to reach out and hold them up as they processed what happened. Embrace them, listen to them and love them,” Williams emotionally urged.

Leading the candle choir in a heartfelt rendition of “Go Rest High On That Mountain,” Vince Gill sorrowfully praised the victims with his warm voice. He reminded those in attendance that they should never lose their own voices to help save the innocent before letting his wife and fellow music artist, Amy Grant, lead in prayer for those passed away.

“Thank you that no one is born alone or dies alone. Thank you for your loving arms that were there to catch every fallen child, man and woman…I imagine slinging them on our backs, lifting them all up in our arms, to the light of your love,” Grant preached.

Nashville Mayor Megan Barry reminded people that this was the second vigil held in the city within the past eight days—the previous Monday commemorated the lives damaged and lost in a church shooting just on the outskirts of town in Antioch. Noting that both incidents occurred in places typically filled with joy and love, she brought to light the innocence that was intruded on by such horrific events.

“Death visited two places where people were simply doing the things that give life meaning and give life joy: Worshiping their God. Listening to music. You shouldn’t have to worry about gunfire in those places. You shouldn’t have to worry about dying,” Barry said.

Barry kept with the running theme of family and community, highlighting that the citizenry of Nashville always unites for the greater good of all people everywhere.

Not an eye was dry in the venue when Keith Urban surprised the audience with an earnest cover of “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Following up rather quickly was a prayer from Alison Krauss and the Cox Family who prompted the crowd to sing along on a harmonized version of “Amazing Grace,” leaving everyone melancholy and yet at peace.

It was Esten, though, that left a lasting impression before the night’s event ceased. Although the slight breeze blew out the candles during the vigil, Esten made sure everyone still left lit up to spread love everywhere they went.

“I also know that we had candles out there tonight and the wind blew them out. Those aren’t the candles that matter, those aren’t the lights that matter. Why don’t you go out and you be the light? You let your light shine to somebody’s life through your giving, through your acts, through your love. Because that is something the wind cannot blow out and darkness cannot quench,” he concluded.

Nashville encourages citizens and others to give back to the ones affected by the Vegas shooting by giving to the Music City Cares Fund through the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. More details can be found on the organization’s official website.