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Tears fall as Carrie Underwood pays tribute to Vegas shooting victims, stars lost

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — From Glen Campbell and Troy Gentry to the tragic mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, the country music world has lost so many in one year.

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During the 51st Annual CMA Awards on Wednesday, there was only one person who could adequately pay tribute to all of those lives that ended too soon: co-host Carrie Underwood.

Underwood looked and sounded angelic as she performed the hymn “Softly and Tenderly,” while pictures of all those in the country music industry who died flashed on the screen behind her.

Underwood powered through the performance, but paused as her voice broke once the images of the victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting appeared on the screen. Collectively and in groups, black and white images of each of the 58 victims appeared on he screen behind the singer.

Taking a beat to collect herself, Underwood continued on, singing the last note to cheers and applause from the audience.

Watch a clip of the end of the performance below.