Cornell was born Christopher John Boyle on July 20, 1964, in Seattle, Washington, USA, to Ed Boyle, a pharmacist, and Karen Cornell, an accountant. He has five siblings— Peter, Patrick, Katy, Suzy, and Maggie.
He studied at ‘Christ the King Catholic’ elementary school and ‘Shorewood High School,’ and loved listening to ‘The Beatles.’ He was uncomfortable with people around him, and was able to overcome the problem through rock music.
Chris Cornell parents: Meet Ed Boyle, Karen Cornell
Before becoming a successful musician, he worked as a sous-chef at a restaurant named ‘Ray’s Boathouse.’ In the early-1980s, he became a member of the band ‘The Shemps,’ and met bassist Hiro Yamamoto.
‘Soundgarden’ was formed in 1984, and consisted of his jamming partners, Thayil and Yamamoto. Later, Matt Cameron joined the band as its permanent drummer, allowing Cornell to concentrate on vocals.
In 1990, he formed ‘Temple of the Dog’ as a tribute to his friend, late Andrew Wood, lead singer of ‘Mother Love Bone.’ Cornell released an album the following year.
