In the past couple of days, country stars like Cody Johnson and Jason Aldean have used their platforms to call for unity following the death of well-known political activist Charlie Kirk. (A suspected gunman shot Kirk, 31, on Sept. 10 as he spoke to a crowd of roughly 3,000 people at Utah Valley University in Orem.) Country singer Jamey Johnson added his name to the list when he paid his respects to the father of two during Friday’s (Sept. 12) show in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
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Jamey Johnson Keeps It Simple With Beautiful Tribute
Refraining from adding his own commentary, Jamey Johnson said simply, “This is for our friend Charlie.” With the audience understanding that he meant the late Charlie Kirk, the CMA Award-winning artist began playing “Lead Me Home.”
Off his 2006 album The Dollar, co-writers Randy Houser and Craig Monday penned “Lead Me Home” from the perspective of a believer arriving in the afterlife after death. As Kirk was famously outspoken about his Christian beliefs, the gospel song was the perfect tribute. All my burdens are behind me
I have prayed my final pray / Johnson sings. Don’t you cry, over my body / ‘Cause that ain’t me, lying there.
With footage of the moment making the rounds on social media, many fans took to the comments to express how much Jamey Johnson’s tribute moved them. “God bless Charlie Kirk. God bless Jamey Johnson,” one TikTok user wrote.
Another added, “He sang that with a broken spirit. I felt that. Rest Charlie.”
[RELATED: Jamey Johnson and Wife Launch “Give It Away Fund” to Help Communities in Crisis]
Tributes Pour In Across Country Music World
Jamey Johnson was far from the only country singer who took a moment to honor Charlie Kirk after his passing. Parker McCollum shared his own tribute to social media after the news broke.
“I don’t even know what to say anymore. Charlie was one of the greatest young patriots this country has ever seen,” the “Hell of a Year” singer wrote on Instagram. “Thank you for standing up for what so many of us believe so strongly. May God have mercy on your soul and watch over your precious family.”
During a Wednesday (Sept. 10) show in Detroit, Jason Aldean dedicated his performance of “Try That in a Small Town” to the Turning Point USA founder.
“This guy wanted nothing more than what was best for all of us and our kids and everything moving forward,” Aldean said.
Featured image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for ACM
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