Eric Church fought back tears as he took the Grand Ole Opry stage to honor the victims of the tragic 2017 Las Vegas shooting. Reflecting on the lives lost at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, Church delivered a powerful speech, his voice breaking with emotion. He then performed a deeply moving tribute, pouring his heart into every lyric. The moment was raw, heartfelt, and a reminder of music’s power to heal and unite.
From an early age, Eric Church shared a love for music that led him to buy his first guitar as a teenager. Often writing songs and covering hits from Jimmy Buffett, the singer fell in love with country music thanks to his grandmother, who was a massive fan of the Grand Ole Opry. And although Church continued to perform all over the country, nothing compared to the first time he took the stage at the Opry in front of his family. So when it came to celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Opry, the singer wasn’t about to miss it.
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Given the significant role the Opry played in the history of country music, it seemed like every country singer traveled to Nashville to be part of the historic moment. Not just another performance, Church took a moment to recall the victims of the Las Vegas shooting. Sadly, country fans who attended the 2017 Route 91 Harvest music festival became victims of a heinous act of violence that wounded hundreds. Church continuously paused as he recalled the tragedy and offered a silencing performance of “Why Not Me.”
Eric Church Never Forgot Performing For His Family At The Opry
Seeming like a full-circle moment in his career, Church remembered his debut at the Opry back in 2006. Standing on stage in front of his family and grandmother, the singer wanted to play “Black Betty.” “It was funny — we thought, ‘Can we do Ram Jam at the Opry?’ It was a last-minute decision before the late show, right before we walked out onstage. I told the guys, ‘I’ll give you a thumbs up or thumbs down.’ So I gave them a thumbs up, and we went for it. And the crowd loved it.”
While Church performed “Black Betty”, he couldn’t help but look at his grandmother, who instilled a love for the Opry in him. Considering it a dream come true, the singer insisted, “It was great for me — a dream come true. But I think it was more gratifying for me because my grandmother was there. She [was] 84 years old [at the time], and for her, there is nothing bigger than the Opry. Her quote is, ‘The Opry’s bigger than Oprah.’ I was really glad she got to be there.”
Although Church knew the adrenaline that came with performing sold-out concerts, nothing remotely came close to the Opry. “I’ve played a lot of gigs, but I’ve never felt this anywhere else. In that situation, it’s almost like everybody’s pulling for you.”
