CHRIS CORNELL's Previously Unheard Cover Of GUNS N' ROSES' 'Patience' Gets Surprise Release

Chris Cornell's estate has released his previously unreleased cover of GUNS N' ROSES' "Patience" on what would have been his 56th birthday. The recording was produced by Brendan O'Brien and was reportedly completed only a few months before Chris died in 2017.

"His birthday seemed the perfect time to share this and celebrate Chris, his voice, music, stories and art," reads a statement on Cornell's Facebook page.

"It is true a man is not dead while his name is still spoken… and, through his art, an artist's soul still burns just as bright as ever upon all those that look up to him and his memory.

"Releasing music that was special to Chris keeps a part of him here with us — his heart and his soul. His love and his legacy."

"Patience" originally appeared on GUNS N' ROSES second album, 1988's "GN'R Lies".

SOUNDGARDEN supported GUNS N' ROSES on the "Use Your Illusion" tour nearly 30 years ago. At the time, Axl Rose hailed Cornell as the best rock vocalist.

In the months following Cornell's passing in 2017, GUNS N' ROSES regularly covered SOUNDGARDEN's "Black Hole Sun".

Cornell was reportedly working on a covers album with O'Brien prior to his death.

In a 2012 interview with Vulture, Cornell stated about touring with GUNS N' ROSES: "Without saying anything negative about Axl, what I remember the most was Duff [McKagan] and Slash and everyone else being regular, sweet, warm guys in a rock band that just wanted to play rock music. And then, like, there was this 'Wizard Of Oz' character behind the curtain that seemed to complicate what was the most ideal situation they could ever have been in: They were the most successful and famous rock band on the planet. Every single show, hundreds of thousands of fans just wanted to hear songs. For some reason, there seemed to be this obstacle in just going out and participating in that. That is what I remember the most. It's sad."

Chris Cornell was found hanged in his room at the MGM Grand Detroit hotel in May 2017, following a SOUNDGARDEN show at the city's Fox Theatre. His body was found soon after he had spoken with a "slurred" voice to his wife, Vicky Cornell, by phone. The death was ruled a suicide.

But his family has questioned the medical examiner's ruling, saying that he had a prescription for Ativan and that a higher than recommended dosage may have caused him to experience suicidal thoughts.