Two of country music and Americana's most respected singer-songwriters joined their talents for two unannounced collaborations on Saturday Night Live on Saturday evening (Jan. 27). Scheduled musical guest Chris Stapleton surprised fans when he welcomed Sturgill Simpson to the stage for two songs.

The pair first teamed for "Midnight Train to Memphis," which Stapleton co-wrote with his former SteelDrivers bandmate, Mike Henderson. The SteelDrivers originally recorded the song for their album The SteelDrivers in 2008. Stapleton re-cut the song for his most recent album, From A Room: Volume 2, and he and Simpson traded verses on the song when Simpson joined him for the surprise SNL gig.

Host and former Saturday Night Live cast member Will Ferrell announced both Stapleton and Simpson before they continued with "Hard Living," another song from Stapleton's most recent album. The award-winning pair alternated lyric lines and traded guitar solos on the rocking tune.

The collaboration marked both musicians' second appearances on SNL. Stapleton debuted on the show in 2016, performing "Nobody to Blame" and "Parachute" from his landmark debut solo album, Traveller, and Simpson debuted on Saturday Night Live in 2017, singing two songs from his Grammy-winning album, A Sailor's Guide to Earth.

Watch Chris Stapleton and Sturgill Simpson Perform "Hard Living"

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