Keith Urban paid tribute to the victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting horror by performing at a candlelight vigil in Tennessee on Monday.
Urban gathered with fellow country stars Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Alison Krauss, and Chip Esten for the sombre event in Nashville, which was attended by over 600 people. Keith also revealed how he learned of the tragedy before performing Simon & Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water.
“I started this morning finding out about it and being shell-shocked,” he told the crowd. “My nine-year-old asked, ‘Dad, you seem quiet’. I said, ‘Yeah, a lot of people died last night’, and she said, ‘Did you know any of them?'”
“They’re like family,” he added. “It’s the one thing about country music. It is a community. I do know those people. It just hit me.”
Meanwhile, the organisers of the Route 91 Harvest Festival, where the shooting incident took place, have issued a statement thanking law enforcement and first responders for their efforts, while vowing to move forward.
“On behalf of the entire Route 91 Harvest Family, we are completely devastated…,” a message on Instagram reads. “Our deepest sympathies go out to the injured and the deceased and their loved ones.
“Senseless violence has claimed the souls of our fans and we have little in the way of answers. Our eternal gratitude goes out to the LVMPD (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department), Emergency services, security guards, and fans for their selfless acts of bravery while trying to help those in need.
“While we will try and move forward, we will never forget this day. We will NOT let hate win over LOVE. We will NOT be defeated by senseless violence. We WILL persevere, and honor the souls that were lost. Because it matters.”
