Eric Church, headliner at Route 91 Harvest Festival, cries as he performs new song 'Why Not Me'

Eric Church will never forget wading into the crowd on Sept. 29, 2017 at the Route 91 Harvest Festival.

"On the last song, on 'Springsteen," Church told his audience at the Grand Ole Opry Wednesday, pausing to exhale heavily, "I jumped down on the speaker, and I went down on the floor ... I went all the way down the right side, waved at my sound guy, came back up at the left side. Smiling faces, hands in the air, pictures being taken."

The country star's eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses, but he continually paused to dab away tears, speaking slowly with a shaky voice. "Forty-eight hours later, those places where I stood, was carnage."

After speaking for an emotional five minutes, Church explained that he'd written a song, "Why Not Me," in an attempt to make sense of the unspeakable tragedy.

Watch Church's monologue and song below.

See photos of Eric Church performing at Route 91 Harvest Festival