Jason Aldean opens SNL with Unexpected Tom Petty Performance

Last Saturday, October 7, 2017, Jason Aldean was unveiled as the surprise guest during the recent Saturday Night Live episode. Aldean has been making headlines lately after headlining the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas witnessing a massive shooting on his concert, at his exact time of performance. After the said incident, Aldean had called for unity and stopping the hate from his fellow Americans. He said, “Something has changed in this country and in this world lately that is scary to see. This world is becoming the kind of place that I am scared to raise my children in,” Aldean wrote. “We are all humans and we are all Americans and its time to start acting like it and stand together as ONE!”

On October 7, he had a message again to the citizens of this country and this time. It was accompanied by a Tom Petty performance.

Jason Aldean, ‘I Won’t Back Down’

“So many people are hurting. They’re our children, parents, brothers, sisters… they’re all part of our family.” Aldean said. “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 is unbreakable.”

Jason Aldean then followed the heartfelt message with a Tom Petty performance of 1989 hit, ‘I Won’t Back Down.’ In a much-unrelated event, Tom Petty just passed away after the said shooting in Route 91 Harvest Festival. On the other hand, Jason Aldean’s Saturday Night Live performance was his first since the shooting in Las Vegas.

It was only fitting for Jason Aldean to cover this song as it represented a unified message to everyone has been a victim or a family of the victims. We should not back. Instead, we face this together.

Watch his performance below: