NASHVILLE, Tenn. >> The mass shooting at a country music festival in Las Vegas has rocked the tight-knit community of country musicians. But even in the renewed debate about gun control, many of those musicians have not weighed in.

There have been outspoken artists within country music on both sides of the issue for years. But there are plenty of artists who avoid the topic altogether because there’s a real risk of backlash. And a push by the NRA to strengthen the existing cultural ties between country music and gun ownership has added more pressure on artists.

Singer Meghan Linsey said artists worry about being abandoned by fans. But she says she hopes more country artists use their voices to talk about gun violence.