TONI CORNELL Sings "Hallelujah" In Honour Of CHRIS CORNELL And CHESTER BENNINGTON On Good Morning America
August 5, 2017, 7 years ago
The footage below features Soundgarden / Audioslave vocalist Chris Cornell's 12-year-old daughter Toni on stage with OneRepublic on ABC's Good Morning America performing the Leonard Cohen classic "Hallelujah" in honour of her late father and Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington, both the victims of suicide.
Toni Cornell posted an emotional letter to her father on Father's Day via Facebook, found below. It reads as follows:
"Daddy,
Let me start by saying how much I love you and how much you mean to me. You are my idol, someone I've always looked up to. You were always there for me. You pushed me forward every day, and you still do. Whenever I cry or feel like there's no way I can go on, I hear your voice, 'Don't sit worrying peanut. Worry is a waste of time, I'm OK.' I always took what you said to heart. Probably because everything you said was so smart.
Every time you came home from tour you spent all your hours with us. No matter how tired you were, how many time zones you traveled, you were there for us. Whenever I was sick you would take care of me. You would cuddle with me, hug me, kiss me. You didn't care about getting sick. You would stay up all night to make sure my fever went down. And if it didn't, you would wake me up and give me my medicine. I would open my eyes, see you, and feel better.
I have so many memories with you but one of my favorite ones was earlier this year when I was jetlagged and we watched 'Purple Rain.' We were staying at the BHH and you came into my room when I was trying to find a movie to watch. 'How about Purple Rain?' you said. I always trusted your judgement. I put it on and immediately fell in love! We then got to your favorite song, 'The Beautiful Ones.'
'This song is so special it doesn't even belong in a genre. When I was in my twenties, I saw this in the theatre and some guy started cracking up laughing at this scene and song. It got me really mad,' you said. I fell in love with the song too and listened to it on repeat.
Our special connection was always the arts. Poems, books, music, writing. We both have a unconditional love for it. Who's going to introduce me to movies like 'Purple Rain' and songs like 'The Beautiful Ones' now? I'm hoping I will find some because you trained me so well. I know you are still here, and the warmth I feel beneath the cold, is you.
YOU ARE THE BEST FATHER IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD. And I know, that if this wasn't an accident, you'd still be cuddling with me watching 'Purple Rain.'
I love you and miss you so, Daddy. You deserve your own day to be celebrated because you are the best dad anyone could ever have. Happy Father's Day!"
Love,
Your Baby Toni
Linkin Park have released an open letter written to late frontman Chester Bennington, whose body was found on Thursday, July 20th at his home in a south suburb of Los Angeles.
“Dear Chester,
“Our hearts are broken. The shockwaves of grief and denial are still sweeping through our family as we come to grips with what has happened.
“You touched so many lives, maybe even more than you realized. In the past few days, we’ve seen an outpouring of love and support, both public and private, from around the world. Talinda and the family appreciate it, and want the world to know that you were the best husband, son, and father; the family will never be whole without you.
“Talking with you about the years ahead together, your excitement was infectious. Your absence leaves a void that can never be filled—a boisterous, funny, ambitious, creative, kind, generous voice in the room is missing. We’re trying to remind ourselves that the demons who took you away from us were always part of the deal. After all, it was the way you sang about those demons that made everyone fall in love with you in the first place. You fearlessly put them on display, and in doing so, brought us together and taught us to be more human. You had the biggest heart, and managed to wear it on your sleeve.
“Our love for making and performing music is inextinguishable. While we don’t know what path our future may take, we know that each of our lives was made better by you. Thank you for that gift. We love you, and miss you so much.
“Until we see you again, LP.”
Ed Winter, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner, told Variety that an employee found Bennington hanging in the bedroom of his Palos Verdes Estates home. Police had previously confirmed that officials responded to a call of a dead body at his private residence in the 2800 block of Via Victoria shortly after 9 AM on Thursday. Bennington was 41.
A bottle of alcohol was also found in the room, though it was not near his body, Winter said. Investigators did not find a note in the room.