For so many, the death of rocker Chris Cornell at the age of 52 marked the end of the life of a legend. The impact was felt immediately and social media was quickly flooded with tributes and memories from fans and other musicians. Several of my friends were stunned by his death and took the time to share how his music had affected their lives and a lucky few even recounted memories of concerts that they had attended. It was clear that his persona and his music had touched so many, especially in my particular age group.
As I reached that age where music was becoming an important part of my life as something that shaped not just musical choices but fashion and even friend groups, grunge music was also coming of age. Sure, we all remember Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, but we also remember Chris Cornell as the frontman for the group Soundgarden. If you remember Soundgarden, it’s because of the song ‘Black Hole Sun’, their most popular song and one that couldn’t be escaped if you turned on the radio at the time.
But unlike Kurt Cobain, Chris Cornell stayed with us as we grew up, later fronting the band Audioslave, performing on countless tours, and was also known for his solo work. To this day, his album Euphoria Morning remains one of my all-time favorite albums.
Whatever his current project, Chris’s vocals were always exceptional. He had an amazing four-octave vocal range and it was his voice that brought magic to every song he performed. Most songs we hear would not be as complete without the background music that accompanies the words, but Chris’s voice was so stunning that he could carry a song on its own.
Listen to him sing the iconic ‘Black Hole Sun’ without the background music, below, because it absolutely blew me away. If you were as stunned as me, then please don’t forget to like and share the video with family and friends.
