Jason Aldean spends time with Route 91 survivors during ACM Awards rehearsals

Lynzee Johnson , Chase Snider

4:04 PM, Apr 15, 2018

Since that dreadful night in October singer Jason Aldean has struggled with the complexity of his feelings about surviving the country's deadliest mass shooting in modern history.

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Jason Aldean performs on NBC's "Today" at Rockefeller Plaza on July 31, 2015 in New York City.

Stephen Lovekin

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LAS VEGAS - Jason Aldean is back in Las Vegas this weekend for the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards.

Aldean hosted some very special guests during rehearsals.

Nearly 100 survivors of the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting joined the country music star at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Friday night.

"I think, you know, I'm sort of forever bonded with those people, and I've had a chance to meet a lot of them and hang out and sort of spend a little one-on-one time with them, you hear those stories, and it's tough, man; it's just been sort of a roller coaster thing," Aldean said.

Aldean was onstage performing when gunshots rang out across the crowd of the Las Vegas music festival. 58 people were killed and more than 800 others injured.

His eighth album, "Rearview Town", was released on Friday. Aldean is nominated for Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year.

The ACMs air Sunday night live from Las Vegas at 7 p.m. CT on CBS.