Country music stars gathered at Bridgestone Arena on Sunday (Nov. 12) at the Country Rising benefit concert event, raising more than $4 million. The money generated at the big show is being donated to organizations that will support those affected by 2017’s hurricanes as well as victims of the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting on Oct. 1.
Country Rising host Bobby Bones was joined onstage throughout the night by performers Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Sam Hunt, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Chris Stapleton, George Strait, Keith Urban and surprise guest Jon Pardi. Lady A opened the star-studded show with some of their hits and a tribute the the late Tom Petty.
“Our country has been hit hard by tragedy this year … It’s affected our families. It’s affected our friends. It’s affected the country music community,” Bones said near the start of the event. “But even during those hard times, what we always try to do is find the good and make the difference, and tonight we’re trying to make the difference.”
As the stars played some of their biggest hits, they also threw in some unifying tunes: Hunt, for example, led the audience in “This Land Is Your Land,” before Aldean took the stage and talked about his personal connection to Route 91 shooting.
“It’s been a rough couple months for us up here, and it’s a lot of fun to get back out and play for the people who matter, which is you guys,” Aldean said during his set. “I love getting up every day and playing music, and I’ll be damned if anybody out there will ever stop me from doing that.”
Remembering the Route 91 Harvest Festival Shooting Victims
This Article Was Originally Posted at www.TheBoot.com
