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Zac Brown Tearfully Pleads Young People Stay Home After Laying Off ‘About 90 Percent’ of His Touring Crew

A desperate plea. Zac Brown begged young people to stay home amid the coronavirus pandemic after he was forced to lay off members of his touring crew.

Related: Hollywood Hits Pause on Filming, Concert Tours and More Over Coronavirus:

“It was a hard day today for the last 15 years, my crew and who I carried with me out on the road to play my shows and do what we do, I’ve had to let go of about 90% of my family, the people that I traveled with and grew my business with, the people I high five on the way out to the stage the people that have done their jobs and done them well,” the Zac Brown Band frontman, 41, said in a video posted via Instagram on Wednesday, March 18. “I hate having to make this call but I can’t generate out there and I can’t tour because of the coronavirus. And everyone’s safety.”

Brown added that he doesn’t think younger people are considering how their actions can affect the global pandemic.

Zac Brown Tearfully Pleads Young People Stay Home
Zac Brown performs at the Musicians Hall of Fame Ceremony and Induction Concert on October 22, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. AFF-USA/Shutterstock

“I got this message that I want to say to the people that aren’t taking this seriously and who are out partying and the people that are out sitting on beaches and the people that don’t care if they get this virus and bring it home to their grandparents and maybe kill their grandparents or complicate their lives,” he said. “The longer that America doesn’t take this seriously and doesn’t stay in and try to contain this, the longer everyone’s going to be out of jobs, the longer that we will be pushed into this recession that we’re all about to enter into.”

Related: Stars Affected by the Coronavirus Pandemic: Tom Hanks, Orlando Bloom and More

The Zac Brown Band announced that they had canceled the spring leg of their The Owl tour on March 10.

“This was an extremely difficult decision, but the well-being of our fans is always our top priority,” the band wrote in a joint statement.

The coronavirus outbreak has forced many artists to postpone their concerts including Kelly Clarkson, Carlos Santana, The Pussycat Dolls, Dan + Shay and the Coachella music festival.

Related: Stars Are Self-Quarantining Amid Coronavirus

As people adjust to a period of social distancing, some musicians have decided to live-stream concerts from their homes for the public. John Legend, Chris Martin, Charlie Puth and Diplo have all treated their social media followers to intimate shows amid the coronavirus quarantine.

Given the constantly evolving nature of COVID-19, UsWeekly wants our readers to have access to the most accurate resources. For the most up-to-date coronavirus information, guidance, and support, consult the CDCWHO, and information from local public health officials. If you’re experiencing coronavirus symptoms, call your primary care provider for medical advice.

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