Chris Cornell’s 12-year-old daughter sings ‘Hallelujah’ in tribute to her dad
Chris Cornell’s daughter Toni performed a poignant tribute to her late dad and Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington this morning (4th August).
12-year-old Toni Cornell appeared on US TV show Good Morning America where she sang a cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ alongside OneRepublic in New York’s Central Park.
Making the performance extra moving, Chester Bennington sang ‘Hallelujah’ at his good friend Chris Cornell’s memorial service just two months before his own death.
“It’s an honour to perform this for my dad and Chester and to sing for them,” Toni said shortly before launching into her cover version.
Linkin Park were due to perform at Central Park today as part of the Good Morning America Summer Concert series. Members of the crowd in attendance held up photos of Chester as Toni performed.
“Chester sang this at Chris’ funeral, and this is arguably one of the greatest songs written in the last 50 years,” OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder said of ‘Hallelujah’.
“It’s a very special song to us, and I think to most people and especially to Toni as well.”
You can watch the performance here:
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> WATCH: Chris Cornell's daughter Toni Cornell sings 'Hallelujah' with Ryan Tedder in honor of her father and Chester Bennington. http://abcn.ws/2vpcJE6 > > Posted by Good Morning America on Friday, 4 August 2017
Chris Cornell had three children – 17-year-old Lillian Jean with his first wife Susan Silver, and Toni and 11-year-old Christopher with his second wife Vicky.
On Father’s Day in June, Toni penned a heart-breaking open letter to her dad on the official Chris Cornell Facebook page.
Calling her dad her “idol”, Toni wrote: “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 Fathers Day.”