Chris Young was at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas on Oct. 1, the night a lone gunman opened fire on a crowd of country music fans, killing 58. In the weeks since, he says he’s used his music as an outlet and a means of healing following the tragedy.
Young was in San Fransisco when he made an impromptu decision to fly back to Vegas to watch his friends perform at Route 91, including Jason Aldean, who was onstage when the shooting began. Young sought shelter in a trailer backstage while gunfire rained down from the 32nd floor of the nearby Mandalay Bay hotel, and the trauma and terror has compelled him to seek refuge in his art.
Photos From the Route 91 Shooting Show Kindness Amidst Chaos
“Everybody’s going to cope in their own way, but getting back onstage and playing was something that was going to be really therapeutic and it was what I needed to do. And it was,” Young tells reporters backstage at his Grand Ole Opry induction about how he’s dealt with the tragedy. “That’s been the thing that’s helped me the most is getting out and playing music and having the opportunity to stand on the stage and make people happy because that’s what concerts are supposed to be.”
Brad Paisley inducted Young as the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry on Oct. 17, following a surprise invitation from Vince Gill in August. Young’s new album, Losing Sleep, is on shelves now.
Jason Aldean’s Defiant Return to the Stage After Las Vegas Massacre
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