At the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, Toni Cornell stepped into the spotlight and into history. As her band, Soundgarden, the inductees of the night, prepared to accept their honor, Toni delivered a haunting acoustic rendition of “Fell on Black Days”, accompanied by Heart’s Nancy Wilson on guitar. The performance aired just days after the band’s induction and the ceremony included other guest vocalists like Brandi Carlile and Taylor Momsen.
Toni’s voice echoed with guilt, pride and loss — the emotional weight of her father’s absence and the resonance of his music intertwined. In a 2017 letter she wrote to her dad, “Daddy… you are my idol, someone I’ve always looked up to.” The moment at the Hall wasn’t just a tribute — it was a statement.
Earlier that evening, actor Jim Carrey, the band’s presenter, shared a vivid memory of Soundgarden’s first performance on Saturday Night Live: “They pushed me under the waves of electricity, and when I came up, I was free.” Those words set the tone for a night of reclaiming legacy and confronting loss.
Guitarist Kim Thayil reflected on the moment, saying: “If one of us ever hesitated in sharing an idea, Chris would be the first to say, ‘Let’s just try it out and see.’ I miss him. I love him, and I love all my brothers.”
Through the speeches, the performances and the silences between chords, the message rang clear: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell’s story isn’t over. Tonight, Toni ensured it continues.
