Chris Cornell, known by most for his dynamic voice and for being the lead singer of Soundgarden, Audioslave, and Temple of the Dog, passed at the age of 52. He was found in his hotel room in Detroit, Wednesday night, after finishing up a performance with Soundgarden, who were half-way through their tour. While Cornell’s death is still under investigation, there is strong speculation of an “apparent suicide.”
The news truly comes as a shock to all, with numerous fans as well as famous friends flocking to social media to express their sadness and memories of the iconic singer.
Shocked & saddened by the news of Chris Cornell's passing. RIP. https://t.co/zewHDnsv1N
— Slash (@Slash) May 18, 2017
Chris Cornell touched so many & we were fortunate to have worked w/ him. He was a true talent & gentleman. Our thoughts are with his family.
— Zac Brown Band (@zacbrownband) May 18, 2017
Chris Cornell was a genius. Too much talent in one man. I have countless memories listening to his music growing up. Devastating. RIP
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) May 18, 2017
Cornell had a past of struggling with depression and substance abuse, but was able to get sober in the late 2000s. As the years progressed Cornell spent his last years working on his music, releasing the King Animal album (2012) and touring with Temple of the Dog (2017) and Soundgarden (2017).
Cornell was truly a pivotal part of rock music, emerging from Seattle’s grunge scene in the 1990s. His breakthrough album Superunknown with Soundgarden featured multiple influential singles including “Black Hole Sun” and “Spoonman.” His music and unique multi-octave vocal range is something that will forever be remembered and ultimately missed.