Country star Eric Church broke down during a tribute to Las Vegas shooting victims: 'Those were my people'

Country singer Eric Church held back tears as he performed a new tribute song for the victims of Sunday's mass shooting at a Las Vegas country music festival. 

Church played the song, "Why Not Me," at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday, four days after the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

Church was a headlining performer at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, two days before a gunman opened fire on its crowd during the performance of Jason Aldean, killing 59 people and injuring more than 520 others. 

"Those were my people. Those were my fans," Church said during the performance on Thursday.

The singer broke down as he described two seats that were left empty at the Opry and meant for a man named Sonny Melton, who died in Sunday's attack in Las Vegas, and his wife, Heather, who survived.

Watch the performance below: