Bret Michaels' Surprise 'American Idol' Performance

(CANVAS STAFF REPORTS) - As paint clerk Lee DeWyze beat Crystal Bowersox to win "American Idol"'s ninth season, he had to share the limelight with one tough rocker.

Bret Michaels, former frontman of glam metal band Poison, was one of the surprise performers on Wednesday evening's Idol finale. He shared the stage with top-three Idol finalist Casey James as they sang a duet of Poison's hit song "Every Rose Has Its Thorn."

The performance was a bit of a rose for Michaels who was hospitalized in April with a brain hemorrhage and rushed back last week because of what's been called a " warning stroke ."

"I needed to be here and do this because it's been two months since I played," he said to MTV News backstage at the Nokia Theatre shortly after performing.

Michaels said he only told his doctors about the finale of "Celebrity Apprentice," on which he was crowned the victor on Sunday. He said Wednesday that he is still feeling a lot of pain, but "except for a little hitch … my left side from the … stroke, I feel amazing."

He said he planned to perform on Friday in Biloxi, Miss., and continue to just do a few shows at a time. He will likely have heart surgery in the fall to repair a recently diagnosed hole in his heart.

Yahoo! News reported that the Idol finale featured performers Christina Aguilera, Janet Jackson and Joe Cocker. Other guest performers were Barry and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees and Alanis Morissette.

Michaels is keeping up he active schedule and is scheduled to appear Thursday evening on the " Lopez Tonight " show with host George Lopez.

Watch Michaels and James perform "Every Rose Has Its Thorn.":