Mark Tremonti is feeling it as hard as the rest of us. He performed Northern Invasion last weekend, where Soundgarden was headlining; so, he got to witness with us, Cornell’s final show in our area.

Some of us thought, I’ll see Soundgarden next time around. At 52 years of age, you think performers like Chris Cornell will be around for another couple of decades.

Cornell’s family has released the following state regarding his suicide:

Chris’s death is a loss that escapes words and has created an emptiness in my heart that will never be filled. As everyone who knew him commented, Chris was a devoted father and husband. He was my best friend. His world revolved around his family first and of course, his music, second. He flew home for Mother’s Day to spend time with our family. He flew out mid-day Wednesday, the day of the show, after spending time with the children. When we spoke before the show, we discussed plans for a vacation over Memorial Day and other things we wanted to do. When we spoke after the show, I noticed he was slurring his words; he was different. When he told me he may have taken an extra Ativan or two, I contacted security and asked that they check on him. What happened is inexplicable and I am hopeful that further medical reports will provide additional details. I know that he loved our children and he would not hurt them by intentionally taking his own life.

The outpouring of love and support from his fans, friends and family means so much more to us than anyone can know. Thank you for that, and for understanding how difficult this is for us.

That makes a sad moment in music history even more sad.

Thanks to RKH Images for these fantastic shots of Soundgarden performing May 13, 2017 at Northern Invasion in Somerset, WI. All photos taken by Patrick Dunn.