AFTER an impromptu performance at an event last December, an Ebbw Vale woman has had a meteoric rise and is gearing up to sing with Slash of Guns N Roses fame.

Sally Ann Evans, who also supported Scottish singer-songwriter Sandi Thom earlier this year describes the last eight months as “surreal” and “very bizarre”.

Ms Evans runs Cwm-based marketing company Limeface which organises the Steelhouse Festival every year.

She also helps put on monthly rock nights at the Steelhouse club in Ebbw Vale. It was at the Christmas event last December she invited talented guitarist Chris Buck, 22, from Abercarn to perform.

Ms Evans said: “At the Christmas party, we just got up and did a few songs together. Then in March he supported Sandi Thom in London and asked me to sing with him. It has all just gone from there and has been phenomenal and a bit bizarre.”

For Mr Buck, whose manager is Alan Niven who used to represent Guns N Roses, performing with Slash is nothing new.

After Mr Niven sent the star recordings of his music, he invited Mr Buck on stage during a gig in Birmingham last October and they played an eight-minute duet.

Ms Evans added: “We have been rehearsing and sent a video to Mr Niven in the USA. He seemed to like the way my vocal and chris’ guitar work together.”

The duo Buck and Evans will fly to Arizona for a benefit show on August 25 that is raising money for charities responding to the Yarnell Fire in which 19 firefighters died.

After the performance alongside Slash, they will work on an album together.