Surprising her Stagecoach audience on April 30, in between singing songs “Cowboy Casanova” and “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” Carrie Underwood brought out Axl Rose, and the two sang through two Guns N’ Roses classics.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Welcome to the greatest night of my life,” said Underwood, wearing her own rhinestone emblazoned Guns N’ Roses shirt. “Give it up for Axl Rose!”
The duo performed the Guns N’ Roses hits “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “Paradise City,
both off the band’s 1987 debut Appetite for Destruction.
“Oh my goodness, I need a minute,” said Underwood catching her breath after singing through the GN’R hits, then joking, “I don’t know why we put more songs after that,” before going into her own 2015 song “Smoke Break.”
“Best, night of my life,” wrote Underwood on social media following the performance. “I am still freaking out. Thank you Axl Rose for making this lifelong dream come true. You rocked that Stagecoach stage harder than anyone has ever rocked it before.”
Having previously incorporated GN’R songs into her setlist, Underwood has always been open about being a Guns N’ Roses fan and remembered her first meeting with Rose during a 2020 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
“It’s hard to meet your heroes, because I do consider him someone who taught me how to sing,” said Underwood, but he was super cool and great and nice and we talked. We’re best friends.”
Stagecoach 2022, which ran April 29 through May 1, also included headliners Thomas Rhett and Luke Combs as well as performances by Brothers Osborne, The Black Crowes, Lee Brice, Midland, Maren Morris, Margo Price, and more.
Photo by Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
