Jason Aldean opens SNL with brief monologue on Las Vegas, launches into cover of Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down." pic.twitter.com/R73cFvU22v [1]

— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) October 8, 2017 [2]

Saturday Night Live [3] opened on an emotional note this weekend courtesy of a surprise appearance from Jason Aldean. The country star began Gal Gadot and Sam Smith's episode [4] by memorializing the victims of the Las Vegas shooting [5], which happened during Aldean's set at the Route 91 Harvest Festival [6] on Oct. 1. "When America is at its best, our bond and our spirit, it's unbreakable," Aldean said, before launching into a cover of the late Tom Petty [7]'s "I Won't Back Down." Watch his touching performance above.