Jason Aldean Calls Las Vegas Shooting ‘The Worst Night of My Life’

Jason Aldean was performing on stage on October 1 at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas when a shooter began firing from a hotel across the street, killing 58 people and injuring over 800.

Aldean and his band were unhurt, but the singer will never forget the tragic event, which he reflected on during a new episode of the PBS series Breaking Big.

“It was the worst night of my life,” he said. “My wife, who was seven months pregnant at the time, was at the show, and I was separated from her, so trying to find her and just getting her and the baby somewhere where they were safe.”

Aldean’s wife, Brittany Aldean, gave birth to the couple’s son, Memphis, in December. After the shooting, the couple went to visit victims in the hospital.

“You have a lot of different emotions going on, just heartbroken for families,” Jason shared. “As soon as it happened we went back to the hospital and we visited with the victims. You know, after that, it’s like a week later, you’re expected to jump back onstage and act like nothing happened and it was rough, it was rough the first couple of shows.”

Jason has since gotten back on stage, though he noted that his approach to his shows is slightly different now.

“It doesn’t make me afraid to tour, it makes me very much aware of my surroundings now,” he explained. “It’s the difference in getting on stage, not having a care in the world and doing my thing. Now, it’s you get on stage and you’re, you know, you’re looking. It’s an experience that you just never forget.”

Still, the 41-year-old shared that he will never let the tragedy stop him from performing.

“Life’s short, man,” he said. “Don’t live in fear. That night is just something I’ll always remember, but it won’t keep me from doing what I do. No matter what happens from here on out, I’ll always go out and play my shows.”

The singer also addressed the topic of gun control, with the interviewer asking if the shooting had made him think any differently.

“I definitely think some changes to be made,” the father of three said. “I’m a gun owner and I’m fine with going in and doing a background check and me having to wait for 30 days to get a gun. I’m perfectly fine with that. But I’m not going to sit here and go, ‘I don’t think anybody should have guns,’ because at that point, the people that don’t need to have them are still gonna find a way to get them, and the people that need to protect themselves can’t get it.”

“So that’s not the answer,” he continued. “I just know that whatever is happening now is flawed and not working.”

Photo Credit: Getty / Matt Winkelmeyer/ACMA2018