Maren Morris Shares Unreleased ‘Dear Hate’ in Response to Route 91 Harvest Festival Shooting [LISTEN]
Maren Morris has released a studio version, featuring Vince Gill, of her unreleased song "Dear Hate." After sharing a demo version of the song during the summer of 2016, Morris dropped the studio recording following the mass shooting at the 2017 Route 91 Harvest Festival.
"Dear Hate" is three years old and was recorded by Morris and Gill during the summer of 2016. Morris says in a tweet that fans often ask her when she'll release the song.
"I never knew when would be the right time, but I realized today that there's never a right time," Morris writes. "Hate is everywhere, and I'm sick of not doing enough."
Country Stars Respond Following Route 91 Harvest Festival Shooting
Morris co-wrote "Dear Hate" with Tom Douglas and David Hodges. The three-and-a-half-minute song addresses the emotion and calls it out for its terrible impact on so, so many.
"You were there in the garden, like a snake in the grass / I see you in the morning staring through the looking glass / You whisper down through history / And echo through these halls," Morris sings in the chorus of "Dear Hate," before adding an optimistic note: "But I hate to tell you, love is gonna conquer all ..."
Morris will be donating any money she earns from Dear Hate to the Music City Cares Fund, established to help those affected by the shooting at the 2017 Route 91 Harvest Festival. At least 50 people have died and more than 500 people have been injured.
The shooting at the 2017 Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, Nev., took place during Jason Aldean's headlining set on the event's final night (Oct. 1). Morris performed at the event on Saturday (Sept. 30).
Other artists who performed at the Route 91 Harvest Festival include Chris Young, Jake Owen, Sam Hunt, Eric Church, the Brothers Osborne and Luke Combs. The event ran Sept. 29-Oct. 1.
Listen to Maren Morris, "Dear Hate":
Remembering the Route 91 Harvest Festival Shooting Victims