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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 10 april 2018
After Vegas, Jason Aldean carries the weight of tragedy

By KRISTIN M. HALL an emotional thing to see
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — him," Spalding said.
Last October, Jason Aldean Aldean was onstage when
was in a Las Vegas hospital the gunman started shoot-
visiting some of the victims ing with high-powered
injured in a mass shooting weapons at the fans from
at a country music festival hotel room window across
a week earlier. On that Sun- the street from the outdoor
day afternoon, the country Route 91 Harvest Festival.
star turned to his longtime That night in October, 59
manager, Clarence Spald- people were killed and
ing. hundreds more injured in
"He looked at me and said, what has become the na-
'This will be the hardest tion's deadliest mass shoot-
thing I ever do,'" Spalding ing in modern history.
recalled. "And it was." The Macon, Georgia-born
Aldean, the reigning Acad- star has been singing about
emy of Country Music's en- small-town, working class
tertainer of the year with a life since he started in Nash-
new album out this Friday, ville two decades ago, and
has built his career and said he now feels a con-
reputation on his live shows nection to the survivors of
that entertain tens of thou- another recent shooting at In this March 19, 2018, photo, country music singer Jason Aldean poses in Nashville, Tenn., to pro-
sands every year. He had a high school in Parkland, mote his eighth studio album “Rearview Town."
returned to meet face-to- Florida. Associated Press
face with those who had "Unless anybody has wit-
survived a terrible trauma nessed anything like that or bass player found a bullet his band and crew about and finally Aldean found
during his performance at been a part of it, it's really fragment in his bass guitar. what they experienced. some relief from the spiral-
the festival, which had left hard for people to really The aftermath for Aldean And then he met those sur- ing thoughts in his head.
him with lingering feelings understand where you're has been complicated. He vivors. "Really to me, he just gave
of guilt. coming from on that stuff," said he felt thankful that "Going back to the hospi- me something else to focus
In one room, a woman was Aldean said in a recent his family, crew and friends tal, going back to Vegas on. Something else to think
still in a coma as he stood interview with The Associ- weren't injured, but also and seeing those peo- about on a daily basis," Al-
by her bed. Aldean record- ated Press. "It's like the kids guilt for all the people who ple. Seeing some of the dean said.
ed a message on her cell from the school in Florida, were there because they strength they were having. And although other coun-
phone, promising to bring that shooting. I get it, man. wanted to see him play. People laid up in the hospi- try musicians have spoken
her to a show when she got I understand how they are And then he felt anger and tal and smiling and laugh- out about the need for gun
better. Those moments in feeling." disbelief. ing and just being glad control since the shoot-
those hospital rooms were About 40 members of his "You start doing that thing, they were alive. That sort of ing, Aldean has avoided
heavy with emotion, Spald- band and crew, as well like, 'Man, did that really stuff helped me to look at it wading into the political
ing said. as his pregnant wife, Brit- happen? It seems so cra- in a different view," Aldean debates about guns. "It's
"Jason would walk in and tany, were all there at the zy,'" Aldean said. "You just said. "Those people are a no-win situation," Aldean
somebody who had been festival. Spalding said two sit there and relive it a thou- here and pushing on." said. "I think no matter what
shot in the arm, leg, face of their tour buses were sand times a day." Two months to the day af- you say, whether you're for
or wherever would just start shot, as well as their lighting His recovery was helped ter the shooting, Aldean's gun control or not, I mean,
crying because it was such board and stage. Aldean's by talking with his wife and son, Memphis, was born you're setting yourself up to
be crucified in the public
Review: Sloane Crosley releases next book of essays eye or in the media."
However, Aldean, who is a
gun owner, said there are

By LINCEE RAY through the tales of an ob- pie couple who invited her flaws in the nation's laws
Associated Press noxious teenage neighbor to participate in amorous regarding gun ownership
Established writer and in New York and a moun- activities. Through all of that need addressing.
best-selling author Sloane tain climbing trip gone these outlandish ordeals, "It's too easy to get guns,
first and foremost," Aldean
Crosley is back with a third terribly wrong in Ecuador. it's plain to see why Cros-
book of essays. Ten years Readers follow along as ley has been compared said. "When you can walk
in somewhere and you can
after the debut of "I Was Crosley interviews her '70s to both Nora Ephron and
Told There'd Be Cake," porn-star uncle, learns to David Sedaris. get one in 5 minutes, do a
background check that
Crosley delivers 16 new navigate vertigo and ad- "Look Alive Out There" is
stories with her trademark dresses the ailments of an a delightful collection of takes 5 minutes, like how in-
depth is that background
sense of humor and wit. epileptic dog. hilarious essays that man-
"Look Alive Out There" is Although the book is pep- age, in some cases, to check? Those are the issues
I have. It's not necessarily
a book about accepting pered with a variety of point to relatable life les-
whatever life may throw essay lengths and topics, sons. It's equally smart, the guns themselves or that
I don't think people should
your way. Through per- one thing remains true: creative and hilarious.
sonal anecdotes, Crosley Crosley's voice is original, Crosley teaches read- have guns. I have a lot of
them." But his concern is
invites readers to first laugh sophisticated and full of ers not to sweat the small This book cover image re-
at her extenuating circum- humor. Look no further stuff in life. Hold things leased by MCD/FSG shows that these tragedies are just
used as fodder for the po-
stances and then join her than the stories about the loosely, crash the shiva, be "Look Alive Out There," by
as the crazy, unimaginable British man who stole her true to yourself and laugh Sloane Crosley. litical arguments that have
dominated any discussion
details unfold. We trudge website identity or the hip- accordingly.q Associated Press
about gun control.q