Chris Stapleton Joins Guns N’ Roses For Electric “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” Performance
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Guns N’ Roses brought out Chris Stapleton for a performance that has everyone talking.
The acclaimed rock band is traversing the globe on their world tour with special guests The Black Crowes, Ice Cube, Pierce the Veil, Public Enemy, and The Barbarians of California.
On August 5th, they returned to Toronto, Ontario, for the first time in three years for a sold-out show at Rogers Stadium. To add to the excitement of an already momentous night, Guns N’ Roses surprised the crowd by inviting Chris Stapleton to the stage for a surprise collaboration of “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.”
“Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” was written and originally recorded by Bob Dylan for the 1973 film Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. It became one of Dylan’s most popular songs, reaching the Top 10 in many countries. The song’s success inspired cover recordings by various artists, including Eric Clapton, Randy Crawford, and more.
Guns N’ Roses began performing “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” during their live shows in the late 80s. They went on to release multiple versions of the song, including a live version in 1987, a studio version in 1990, and a version performed at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992.
Chris Stapleton Reunites With Guns N’ Roses
The recent performance marks a full-circle moment with Stapleton, now a superstar in his own right, reuniting with the rock legends. Almost exactly ten years ago, he served as an opening act for the band’s Nissan Stadium concert in Nashville in July 2016. He told the audience that night:
“When I was a kid, if you’d have told me I’d be up here playing before Guns N’ Roses, I’d have called you a liar.”
Fast forward to the present day, and conveniently, the country star had his own headlining show the following night in Toronto at the same venue. He shared the lead vocals with Axl Rose and provided rhythm guitar for the arrangement.
See Chris Stapleton perform “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” with Guns N’ Roses in the video below!
