Jason Aldean fronted a cold open for Saturday Night Live on NBC over the weekend (10/7) with a somber performance of the late Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” in honor of those killed and injured in the October 1st shooting in Las Vegas.
Jason had a special message for viewers as they tuned in to the show for the first time since the tragedy. “This week, we witnessed one of the worst tragedies in American history,” he said into the camera. “Like everyone, I’m struggling to understand what happened that night and how to pick up the pieces and start to heal. So many people are hurting. There are children, parents, brothers, sisters, friends. They’re all part of our family. So I want to say to them, we hurt for you and we hurt with you. But you can be sure that we’re going to walk through these tough times together, every step of the way. Because when America is at its best, our bond and our spirit — it’s unbreakable.” The singer then launched into Petty’s 1989 classic. Watch below.
Following the shooting, Aldean had canceled a handful shows through this past weekend. “I feel like out of respect for the victims, their families and our fans, it is the right thing to do,” he said at the time. Refunds for those appearances are being handled at the point of purchase. Find more info here.
Teddy McDonald is a fun-lovin’ country music fan man living in Nashville, Tennessee.
