Zach Bryan Dedicates 'Jake's Piano - Long Island' to Fallen NYPD Officer at New York Show
By Alli Patton
Link copied
There was a somber moment at New York's UBS Arena when Zach Bryan took a beat to honor one of the city's fallen.
"I got some really bad news this morning," the 'Something in the Orange' star told the hushed crowd at his show on Saturday (March 30). "Someone told me there was an officer named Jonathan Diller who passed away in the line of duty. He was from Long Island, around here."
Audience members erupted into applause at the mention of the late NYPD officer. Diller was shot and killed at a traffic stop in Queens on Monday, March 25.
"I wanted to say that it is heartbreaking," the singer continued against the background's soft piano keys. "I can't even imagine."
In a fan captured video, Byran can be seen, hand to heart, speaking to the crowd. "I'm going to try my best to sing this," he said. "If I mess it up, just know that I respect and love you guys so much and I'm so sorry."
With the building of keys, the artist launched into his 2023 released track, 'Jake's Piano - Long Island', the chorus of which says: "I finally quit smokin' cigarettes / And I don't go downtown drinkin' 'til it's dawn / The best parts of you are here but you'rе still gone."
This moment was a far cry from the atmosphere experienced at recent Bryan gigs, one of his latest Barclays Center showcases featuring a surprise appearance by Bruce Springsteen.
The tribute to Diller, however, was an honest and meaningful one from the former Navy serviceman. At the song's close, Bryan noted once again, “That's for Officer Jonathan Diller," before adding, "And any cop, any EMS, any first responders, we love the shit out of you. Seriously, you’re so brave.”
After taking a brief break from his lengthy The Quittin’ Time Tour in early April, the artist will hit the road once again for another bought of arena shows across the midwest and the southeast.
The trek will see him through much of 2024, the year-end shows taking him back to New York City.
For more on Zach Bryan, see below:
