The Tennessean

Jason Isbell, who played Bonnaroo's biggest stage on Sunday afternoon, addressed the crowd during his set and asked for "compassion and empathy."

Isbell was one of many artists at the Bonnaroo Music Festival on Sunday who reacted as news spread of the heavily armed assailant who opened fire and killed 50 people in a packed Orlando nightclub.

"It's a happy day on stage, but it's not a happy day everywhere in the world right now," Isbell said. "The only thing I know to say to you is have faith.

"I think we're all good people out here. I think we've got the brains and the heart that it takes to figure it out, to put a stop to this kind of (expletive) and learn to live peacefully together. But the trick is compassion and empathy. ... That's the only thing that I've learned.

"It does make me sad, but I'm glad that we're able to share music with you people today. I wouldn't rather be anywhere else."

-- Staff writers Jessica Bliss, Dave Paul and Marcia Masulla contributed to this report.

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