Chris Cornell‘s cause of death has been confirmed as suicide, according to reports.
Cornell’s representative Brian Bumbery told press earlier today that the Soundgarden and Audioslave singer Chris Cornell had died last night (May 17) the age of 52. Bumbery described Cornell’s death as “sudden and unexpected”, and said the singer’s family would be “working closely” with a medical examiner to determine the cause of death.
Now the Associated Press reports that a “medical examiner determines Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell committed suicide in Detroit”. See in the tweet below.
BREAKING: Medical examiner determines Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell committed suicide by hanging in Detroit.
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 18, 2017
The Mirror had previously reported that Cornell was found dead in a hotel bathroom by a family member. A representative for Detroit Police had told the newspaper: “We are investigating this as a suspected suicide. That is the line we are proceeding along.”
Since news of his death broke earlier today, stars from the music world including Jimmy Page, Nile Rodgers and Billy Idol have paid tribute. Just hours before he passed away, Cornell had played a full gig with Soundgarden and it has since emerged that the last song he performed was about death.
Cornell was best known for fronting Seattle grunge band Soundgarden from 1984 to 1997 and again from 2010 to the present day. The band’s most successful album, 1994’s ‘Superunknown’, charted at Number One in the US and sold nine million copies worldwide.
Cornell later fronted Audioslave, who released three albums between 2002 and 2006. He also released four solo albums, the most recent of which, ‘Higher Truth’, came out in 2015. Earlier this year he teamed up with Sting to perform a number of Soundgarden and The Police songs at a charity gig.
Cornell’s song ‘You Know My Name’ served as the theme to 2006 Bond film Casino Royale. It became a Top Ten hit in the UK.
He is survived by his second wife, publicist Vicky Karayiannis, and by three children.