Axl Rose was amongst a number of music stars to honor Lisa Marie Presley through the late singer-songwriter’s public memorial service at Graceland on Sunday (Jan. 22).
In a uncommon talking look, the Weapons N’ Roses frontman took the stage on the Memphis gathering — which was livestreamed from Graceland’s web site — to share some heartfelt phrases about his shut pal earlier than performing a solo rendition of the GNR basic “November Rain.”
“With Lisa’s passing, I knew if I used to be invited I wanted to return to those ceremonies,” Rose started his emotional assertion, studying from a cellular phone. “I hadn’t deliberate on talking, and once I was placed on the spot, I actually didn’t know what to say. I used to be tongue-tied and nervous, and I didn’t actually know what I stated. However I, as I’m positive a lot of you, are nonetheless in shock, as I really feel I’ll proceed to be for fairly a while.”
Rose continued, “I by no means in 1,000,000 years imagined being right here, singing underneath these circumstances.”
The rock icon additionally famous how Lisa Marie was “fiercely protecting” of her father Elvis Presley‘s legacy.
“She was extraordinarily proud, as proud as anybody may very well be, of her father and his many accomplishments and place in music. She was additionally very happy with the Elvis film and the way she felt it portrayed her father, and the care that was put into the movie by these concerned — [director Baz Luhrmann’s] imaginative and prescient and course, and Austin Butler’s dedication to the position of her father.”
Following his speech, Rose sat down at a close-by piano to ship a shortened model of Weapons N’ Roses’ Use Your Phantasm I hit “November Rain,” which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Scorching 100 in 1992.
Along with Rose, the memorial service additionally included musical tributes from Billy Corgan, who carried out an acoustic rendition of the Smashing Pumpkins music “To Sheila,” and Alanis Morissette, who sang her 2017 music about psychological well being “Relaxation.”
Different audio system included Lisa Marie’s mom, Priscilla Presley; Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York; music trade veteran Jerry Schilling; and daughter Riley Keough’s husband, Ben Smith-Petersen; amongst others.
Lisa Marie died on Jan. 12 after being hospitalized earlier within the day following a report of a girl in full cardiac arrest at an handle related to Presley. She was 54 years outdated.
Watch Rose’s emotional speech and “November Rain” efficiency starting on the one-hour mark of the memorial livestream right here.
