Staind frontman Aaron Lewis delivered an emotional and fiery tribute to the late Charlie Kirk during a recent solo performance, dedicating his controversial anthem “Am I The Only One” to the slain conservative activist. The dedication, captured on video during his October 16 concert in Chesterfield, Missouri, frames Kirk‘s ass*ssination as a political martyrdom that will galvanize his supporters.
Lewis, a prominent conservative voice in the rock world, paused his show at The Factory to address the crowd directly about Kirk‘s death. In his speech, he painted Kirk as a figure of faith and patriotism whose voice, though silenced, would inspire a larger movement.
“They took someone very special away from us,” Lewis told the audience. “He was a father, he was a husband, he was a patriot. He truly believed in the word of God. They thought they silenced a voice. They awakened a f**king army. I dedicate this song tonight in memory of Mr. Charlie Kirk.”
The dedication was met with cheers before Lewis launched into “Am I The Only One,” his chart-topping solo hit known for its right-leaning criticisms of American culture.
The tribute comes just over two months after Kirk, an influential and highly polarizing right-wing media personality, was shot and killed at a Utah college event in what has been widely described as a “political ass*ssination.” The 22-year-old suspected shooter, Tyler Robinson, has no known connections to political groups and is registered as an “inactive” unaffiliated voter.
Kirk‘s death sent shockwaves through the conservative movement, with former President Donald Trump eulogizing him as a “great American hero” and a “martyr” at a memorial service. Kirk was frequently criticized for his combative style and controversial takes, including his vehement opposition to abortion and transgender rights. He famously dismissed a central human emotion by stating that empathy was “a made-up, new age term that does a lot of damage.”
Lewis‘ tribute aligns with his long-standing, outspoken political beliefs. The Staind frontman has become a fixture in conservative cultural circles, most notably after encouraging a crowd to chant “F*** Joe Biden” during a 2021 concert. He has also been a vocal supporter of Donald Trump and described the president’s first impeachment as “the clearest representation of what’s wrong with America these days.”
