Chris Cornell’s birth name was Christopher John Boyle, and he was born and raised in Seattle, Washington.
Further, he was a son of a pharmacist Edward F. Boyle, and an accountant Karen Cornell.
Chis and his siblings adopted their mother’s maiden name, Cornell, as their surname after their parent’s divorce.
Furthermore, He was described as a loner. However, he was able to deal with his anxiety around other people and his biggest support was through rock music.
During his teenage years, he spiraled into severe depression, which made him drop out of school, and rarely left the house.
Moreover, Chris worked as a busboy, as a dishwasher, as a fishmonger at a seafood wholesaler, and was a sous-chef at Ray’s Boathouse in Seattle.
In addition, He battled depression throughout his whole life and admitted to having struggled with suicidal thoughts.
Houses, cars, and watches
Houses
The prolific grunge legend Chris Cornell lived in a luxurious mansion in Beverly Hills, California.
He bought this spacious mansion in 2007, and it has five bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms, a big pool, and a copious music room.
Later on February 18, 2013, Chris listed the mansion for sale with starting price of $5.4 million.
Further, he moved back to his hometown house in Seattle, where he was born and raised.
Chris’s house in Seattle
In addition, the legendary grunge artist stated that there’s nowhere Chris Cornell can call his home except Seattle.
Cars
Chris Cornel was a classic car freak and had a fleet of fancy cars. But these are the ones he used to drove back then.
Further, The rock legend had one of the world’s greatest automobiles. It was his custom-designed iconic blue 1955 Porsche Speedster Spyder.
Cornell in his 1955 Porsche Speedster Spyder
Moreover, the gorgeous Porsche Speedster Spyder 1995 edition price is worth $5 million in 2021.
Watches
Chris Cornell wore a lucrative United States premium watch of the Nixon brand.
Further, this Stainless Steel watches with elegant design costs between $250 and $500.
Likewise, Amberatkins released the Ultra-Thin Fashion Watch with Chris Cornell’s face in 2018.
In addition, the watch was a tribute to the legendary rockstar with a price tag of just $17.
Investments, Endorsements and Book publication
Investment & Endorsement
Chris Cornell’s powerful voice and long-haired, shirtless stage appearance were mesmerizing personas in the grunge rock era of the 1990s.
Moreover, he was endorsed by several big music companies, including Solid State Tuner, Sub Pop, A&M, Suretone, Interscope & Mosley.
Likewise, the Epic record label signed Cornell’s band Audioslave and released the album Out of Exile in 2005.
Further, in 2012 Chris Cornell invested his wealth in establishing a charity organization name Chris And Vicky Foundation to help vulnerable children.
A biography book on the late rockstar Chris Cornell
Further, This book unravels lots of unexpected details and anecdotes of Chris Conell’s life.
Perhaps this book is captivating because it untangles how Cornell kept most of his cards close to his vest despite decades in the spotlight.
As a major admirer of Chris Cornell since my childhood, I couldn’t stop myself from crying as I read this biography book.
In addition, this book is accessible on Amazon, and if you are a fan of Chris Cornell, this is indeed a must-read book for you.
Career
Chris Cornell’s career began when he was 16 years old and formed the band The Shemps with his high school friends Kim Thayil and Hiro Yamamoto.
Unfortunately, the band didn’t last very long and was torn apart just after a year.
Later in 1984, Cornell reunited with Thayil and Yamamoto to form the greatest grunge band of Soundgarden.
In 1990, Soundgarden’s debut album earned them a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance.
Moreover, four years later, he formed a band called Temple of The Dog and released a song titledHunger Strike as a tribute to his late friend Andrew Wood.
In 1994, Chris announced the collapse of the band Soundgarden.
Then Cornell started to pursue his solo career and landed his debut album entitled Euphoria Morning in 1999.
In 2001, he alongside his two friends formed yet another legendary band named Audioslave.
Out of Exile, their second album, was a worldwide hit and made it to the top of the Billboard 200 chart.
In 2006 he split up with the band Audioslave and stated that it was due to some incorrigible difference among band members.
A grunge legend Cornell toured worldwide, including England, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, and another 25 nations.
Likewise, He went on tour around North America and later continued his tour in 2012-2013 and performed in several venues in Europe and the U.S.
Sadly, He released his last single was The Promise which was released in 2017.
Chris Cornell will always be remembered as one of the best rock and grunge artists of all time.
Death and Aftermath
Unfortunately, Chris Cornell passed away on May 18, 2017, in Detroit.
Further, the rockstar performed in a concert hours before he committed suicide in the bathroom of MGM Grand hotel.
Moreover, He had battled depression for his whole life and admitted to having had struggled with suicidal thoughts in the past.
In addition, the police ruled that his death was a suicide, but his widow questioned this conclusion. , as drugs prescribed were present in higher concentrations than what should have been prescribed.
Furthermore, This fact leads Vicky Cornell to believe Cornell’s death was unintentional and filed a lawsuit against his former doctor for negligence in 2018.
Even after four years since he passed away, he and his music are still popular and prominent to many people.
In 2018, in reminiscence of Chris Cornell, Nick Marra created the memorial statue which depicts him.
In addition, The Chris Cornell memorial statue is placed outside the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle.
Charity & Foundation
The legendary rockstar Chris Cornell was a humanitarian and had a heart of gold.
In 2012, Chris and his wife Vicky established a foundation named Chris and Vicky foundation.
Chris & Vicky Foundation
Moreover, this foundation also works with other charitable organizations and partners to raise awareness, mobilize support for children, take care of children, and save them from alcoholism and drug abuse.
Chris and Vicky’s foundation also helps vulnerable people, including the homeless, in poverty and abuse.
Cornell struggled with depression, alcoholism, and usage of drugs throughout his life.
Although he himself was an addict and depressed person, he was actually active in helping people with their drug problems and depression.
In addition, he also supported several charities and foundations, including Aid Still Required, Global Angels, Save The Music Foundation, and Nordoff Robbins Foundation.
Some Interesting Facts About Chris Cornell
Chris struggled with depression and anxiety since a teenager. He started using alcohol and drugs such as marijuana and LSD during his teenage years.
Further, Cornell even dropped out of school and stayed in the room for months.
At the age of 9, he collected the legendary rock band The Beatles record in his neighbor’s basement and spent listening and studying The Beatles’ music for two years.
This may not surprise many, but Cornell and his bands(Soundgarden & Audioslave) won 3 Grammy Awards and sixteen nominations.
FAQs about Chris Cornell
Who was Chris Cornell’s best friend?
Chester Bennington was Chris Cornell’s best friend who committed suicide on Chris Cornell’s birthday.
How old was Chris Cornell when he died?
Chris Cornell was 52 years old when he committed suicide.
What was Chris Cornell’s net worth when he died?
The rock legend Chris had a net worth of $40 million at the time of his death.