Axl Rose, Billy Corgan Perform at Lisa Marie Presley’s Memorial
Axl Rose, Billy Corgan and Alanis Morissette paid tribute to the late Lisa Marie Presley on Sunday at her memorial service.
Presley, the only child of Elvis Presley, died on Jan. 12 at the age of 54. The public service was held at Graceland, where various family and friends were in attendance, including Austin Butler, who recently starred in Elvis, and the film's director Baz Luhrmann.
"I never in a million years imagined being here, singing under these circumstances," Rose said before performing "November Rain." "I do know Lisa loved her family very much, and was fiercely protective of her father and his legacy."
Footage of Rose's performance, as well as a live stream of the full service, is available below.
Corgan also paid tribute to Presley, performing Smashing Pumpkins' "To Sheila." "There is heartbreak and then there is sorrow. This would be sorrow and on more levels than I can count," Corgan previously wrote on Twitter following the news of Presley's death. "Please send your prayers out for her family and children at this difficult time. I truly cannot find the words to express how sad this truly is."
Morissette performed "Rest," a song she released in 2021 that she previously has said was "written specifically about those of us who struggle with depression and anxiety, isolation, suicidal ideation and the profound despair that mental illness can plunge us into." Presley's son, Benjamin, died by suicide in July 2020. In 2022, Presley penned an essay for People, about grief. "Death is part of life whether we like it or not — and so is grieving," she wrote. "Grief is something you will have to carry with you for the rest of your life, in spite of what certain people or our culture wants us to believe. You do not 'get over it,' you do not 'move on,' period."
In a previous statement to People, Rose commented on the death of his friend's son. "Her son's passing was shocking, tragic and devastating," he said, noting that after Benjamin's death, he would often trade "jokes, news articles and lots of animal vids" with Presley in an effort to "let her know of the constant thinking about her, them, and wanting the best for her."
On Jan. 12, Presley was reportedly found unresponsive in her home. She was taken to a nearby hospital in full cardiac arrest and died that evening. "Presley was examined on Jan. 14 and the cause of death was deferred," a spokesperson for the coroner's office later told CNN. "Deferred means that after an autopsy, a cause of death has not been determined and the medical examiner is requesting more investigation into the death, including additional studies. Once the tests/studies come back, the doctor evaluates the case again and makes the cause of death determination."
You can view a selection of photos from the memorial service down below.