Axl Rose is still “in shock” over Lisa Marie Presley’s death.
The Guns N’ Roses frontman, 60, opened up about how he never imagined having to pay tribute to the late singer when he appeared at her celebration of life service at Graceland on Sunday (22.01.23), at which he also performed his hit ‘November Rain’.
He told mourners: “I’m still in shock as I feel like I will continue to be for quite some time. I feel like I’m supposed to be texting her like right now.”
Axl added he had not planned to speak about Lisa Marie – who died on January 12 aged 54 after suffering two heart attacks – and said he felt “tongue-tied and nervous”, and “never in a million years” had thought he would be giving a eulogy to his friend.
He went on: “This is truly devastating and I’m sure excruciating for everyone here… I do know Lisa loved her family very much, and was fiercely protective of her father and his legacy.”
Axl performed ‘November Rain’ after his speech, with singers including Billy Corgan and Alanis Morissette also playing at the ceremony.
The Guns N’ Roses singer told last week how he tried to comfort Elvis’ only child Lisa Marie following the suicide death of her son Benjamin Keough, who took his life in 2020 aged 27.

He told People: “I will miss my friend Lisa. Her passing, just as her son’s, or as a kid, her father’s, doesn’t seem real.
“Lisa loved her family, all her children. My heart goes out to them.
“Her son’s passing was shocking, tragic and devastating. It was something that, at a point, you obviously didn’t want to bring up but awkwardly would in an effort to let her know you cared and were thinking about her, about them, and to be of any comfort one could, which she appreciated.”
Axl added he and Lisa would exchange message filled with jokes, news articles and “lots of animal vids” in an attempt to cheer her up after Benjamin’s suicide, and he had tried to let her know “of the constant thinking about her, them, and wanting the best for her”.
Axl, who hopes mum-of-four Lisa Marie is in the afterlife with her son and Elvis, added: “I wanted her to be happy, to feel good about things, at least as much as one could under the circumstances. And really, with the closeness of their relationship, one could hope – but truthfully, it didn’t seem, at least without some real time passing, a reasonable reality.
“What comes after life who knows but I’d like to think they’re together, her and Ben with her father and Ben’s grandfather in some way, and Lisa, and the most important men in her life are happy together.
“I was fortunate enough to hear about her father and her experiences and memories with him first hand. She came to shows and we hung out backstage. “It was always great to see her and she was always fun and super supportive.”