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Adam Lambert and other Idol singers performed with rock band Queen on the American Idol finale in May 2009. (Ray Mickshaw / FOX)
Adam Lambert and other Idol singers performed with rock band Queen on the American Idol finale in May 2009. (Ray Mickshaw / FOX)
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Updated: Tuesday, 21 Feb 2012, 8:00 AM PST
Published : Tuesday, 21 Feb 2012, 7:59 AM PST
(EndPlay Staff Reports) - Former American Idol contestant Adam Lambert will front the band Queen at an upcoming gig.
What would late legend Freddie Mercury say? Bandmate Brian May thinks he would approve.
Queen announced in on their website that they will headline the Sonisphere Festival on July 7 at Knebworth Park in England. It was the site in 1986 of Queen's final concert with Mercury.
Now Queen will be returning with Lambert 26 years later.
"Judging by my incoming mail, this decision will make a lot of people very happy," May stated in the announcement. "It's a worthy challenge for us, and I'm sure Adam would meet with Freddie's approval!"
Lambert performed "We Are the Champions" with Queen during American Idol in 2009. They joined back up in November for the MTV European Music Awards.
After refusing to discuss recent reports about the concert, Lambert tweeted on Monday to confirm that Queen invited him to sing "one very special concert."
"Sorry to be coy about the details the past few weeks, but I made a promise to keep it under wraps as best I could," he tweeted . "Gonna be a surreal night."
Lambert stated on his website that he is "completely in awe of the Queen phenomenon."
"The thought of sharing the stage for a full set is so beautifully surreal," he said. "I'm honored to be able to pay my respects to Freddie's memory."
Knebworth Park was the last stop for Queen during its Magic Tour in 1986. It would be the last live concert with Queen for Mercury, who announced he had AIDS in 1991 and died the next day.