Photo: Cindy Watts
Embattled country singerMorgan Wallenis back on one of the genre’s most prominent stages — all thanks to Luke Bryan.
Bryan headlined Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Friday night, and in a surprise for the audience — and possibly for Bryan himself — Wallen appeared about halfway through his set. Bryan had just welcomed unannounced guests, fellow country starsJason AldeanandFlorida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard, to the spotlight when Aldean said, “a really good friend of mine is backstage.”
“I don’t know if you know this,” Aldean, 44, then told Bryan.
TheAmerican Idoljudge, 45, said he didn’t know who was backstage and asked if he needed another shot of tequila to get through it.
Luke Bryan.Ethan Helms
That’s when Wallen, 28, strolled down the catwalk to ear-splitting applause from the sold-out crowd. The four men clinked plastic shot glasses and gulped back the alcohol before Bryan, Aldean, and Hubbard, 34, sat down to give Wallen the spotlight. The moment was Wallen’s most significant return to any stage since he wascaught on video drunk and using a racial slurin February.
“Hello, Nashville; how you all doing tonight?” Wallen asked the audience. “I don’t even know what song to play. This is a song about staying true to yourself, and that’s been a really hard thing for me to do lately. But, here I am.”
Tyler Hubbard, Morgan Wallen, Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan.Ethan Helms
Wallen, his ballcap turned backward and his acoustic guitar hanging at his waist, strummed through his No. 1 hit “More Than My Hometown” as fans sang along. He followed up with “Whiskey Glasses,” then the four sang Aldean’s 2009 hit “She’s Country” before giving the stage back to Bryan.
“Up next, Elvis Presley,” Bryan quipped. “I’ve never had more fun in my life.”
Cindy Watts
Wallen, one of country music’s biggest stars at the time, disappeared from the scene following the controversy. Last week, he toldGMA’sMichael Strahanthat he checked into a rehabilitation center after the incident.
“For 30 days, I spent some time out in San Diego, California, you know, just trying to figure it out … Why am I acting this way? Do I have an alcohol problem?” he explained. “Do I have a deeper issue?”
Caylee Hammack, Luke Bryan and Dylan Scott.Ethan Helms
“Thank you @lukebryan for having me out last night brother,” Wallen wrote on social media Saturday. “Sharing the stage with you, @jasonaldean and @tylerhubbard was one of those moments I will never forget. Thank you Nashville for welcoming me so warmly. And to the rest of my fans, we will recreate this soon.”
source: people.com
