Maren Morris on ‘Perpetual PTSD’ From Route 91 Harvest Festival

Maren Morris told Esquire magazine that the  October 2017 shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas had a profound effect on her. It's one that she'll never get over.

Regarding her take on semi-automatic firearms today, she said, "I don't think anyone needs to own a semi-automatic or automatic rifle. I'm from Texas and I've grown up around guns ... But as much fun as that was growing up, do I feel particularly safe around guns now? No."

Fifty-eight were killed in October 2017 when a gunman opened fire on a crowd watching Jason Aldean perform. Having performed at the same festival the day before, understandably, she has not gotten over the feeling of horror from the attack. She said, "It feels like we're all dealing with perpetual PTSD. The only way that I've been able to continue touring and having confidence on stage is through conversations (about this) with fans."

Morris recalls being afraid to get back on stage soon after, something many artists felt. She also acknowledges that fans may have felt trepidation about attending concerts again. But, she adds, "If they [the fans] went through that and they can still buy a ticket and show up and pay for parking and get in the door, then I can certainly walk out on stage."

Not long after the tragedy, Morris released a song she cut with Vince Gill called "Dear Hate."

Maren joins a growing group of country artists calling for at least some gun control measures that includes Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard, Dierks Bentley, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. Both Carrie Underwood and Kane Brown included songs on the topic on recent studio albums.

-Nancy Brooks