It's been a little over a week since we learned of the tragic passing of Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell. He was only 52 years old. Cornell was found in his hotel room in Detroit after a show on May 17th. The death was ruled by the local medical examiner as a suicide by hanging. Cornell's widow contested the ruling saying that he took too many prescription pills. Cornell took anti-anxiety medication Ativan whose side effects include "paranoid or suicidal thoughts, slurred speech and impaired judgment."
Regardless of the details, the world lost an incredible voice and human being. Yesterday, Friday, May 26th, Cornell's closest friends and his family gathered for a memorial service at a private event on the Fairbanks Lawn at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Cornell was creamated this past Tuesday, May 23rd, and his final resting place, which is open to the public, is next to his friend Johnny Ramone. TMZ has a photo of the two memorial sites next to each other.
The private service was attended by a who's who in the rock world and Hollywood. The Daily Mall has a ton of pictures of attendees including Metallica's James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins, Courtney Love, Nirvana's Krist Novaselic, Bush's Gavin Rosedale, Soundgarden bandmates Matt Cameron and Kim Thayil, Audioslave bandmate Tom Morello and Brad Wilk, Jane's Addiction's Perry Ferrell and Dave Navarro, Faith No More's Mike Borden, Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament, Alice In Chains' Jerry Cantrell and Mike Inez, Billy Idol, Pharrell Williams. Actors Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, James Franco, Jeremy Renner, Fred Armisen, and James Brolin also attended the service.
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Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington and guitarist Brad Delson performed an acoustic version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." Eulogies were delivered by Tom Morello, Matt Cameron, Chester Bennington, Kim Thayil and Josh Brolin. Daily Mall had a recap of some of the words spoken:
'Chris was as melodic as The Beatles, as heavy as Sabbath and as haunting as Edgar Allan Poe,' Morello, Cornell's Audioslave bandmate, said during his eulogy.
'The demons he wrestled with were real, but he harnessed those demons and rode them like a mother-flipping chariot of lightning strapped with Marshall stacks to make some of the greatest rock 'n' roll of all time.'
They all spoke of the rocker's compassion and his delight in his three children. Cameron said he and Cornell had 'so many normal dad conversations' about the Cornell kids: Christopher, Toni and Lily.
'Losing my brother and artistic soulmate will always pale in comparison with you three kids losing your dad,' Cameron said. 'Let it be known that I am here for you and will forever be in your lives.'
Inside of program for Chris Cornell memorial. Chester and Brad from Linkin Park performed Hallelujah #chriscornell pic.twitter.com/88pAjvdncm
— Denise Quan (@DQ007) May 26, 2017
Fans burst into spontaneous applause at Cornell gravesite: "Thank you, Chris!" #chriscornell #ladailynews pic.twitter.com/PeZybJQFG3
— Denise Quan (@DQ007) May 26, 2017
Brad Pitt and rock royalty attend Chris Cornell's funeral https://t.co/T1MK6INIq9 pic.twitter.com/OEIqWeXyfb
— Page Six (@PageSix) May 27, 2017
#ChrisCornell's recent solo song "The Promise" and Audioslave's "Like a Stone" were played prior to the ceremony: https://t.co/G2pqMVQxse pic.twitter.com/InAh28A9fl
— Consequence of Sound (@consequence) May 26, 2017
Music's elite and celebrities remembered Chris Cornell at a somber memorial service, @APSandy writes. https://t.co/yHg1lEAVzK
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 26, 2017
Memorial for Chris Cornell Held at Hollywood Forever Cemetery https://t.co/WMSfoYww5V pic.twitter.com/YeZ5TtCVT5
— KTLA (@KTLA) May 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/damiancarenza/status/868327212168118272
https://twitter.com/damiancarenza/status/868329304752607233
Mourners gather for Chris Cornell private memorial including Brad Pitt, Pharrell, Josh Brolin, Audioslave's Brad Wilk pic.twitter.com/Eb5Rwq6yTz
— Denise Quan (@DQ007) May 26, 2017
Chris Cornell's Hollywood memorial draws Audioslave bandmates, Brad Pitt and Pharrell https://t.co/hIzQFpK4pq pic.twitter.com/L94FyI0mQz
— L.A. Daily News (@ladailynews) May 26, 2017
