The surviving members of Soundgarden have countersued Chris Cornell’s widow Vicky Cornell and the Chris Cornell estate over their participation in a 2019 tribute concert to the late rocker.
According to Rolling Stone, the legal action, filed Wednesday in a Miami U.S. District Court, accuses Vicky of “fraudulent inducement” for allegedly using revenue intended to be raised for charity for “personal purposes for herself and her family” after claiming that the band entered an “oral agreement” with her to perform for free during the “I Am the Highway: A Tribute to Chris Cornell” concert in Los Angeles on January 16, 2019 with the intent that funds would benefit The Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation.
The surviving band members - who had not played together as Soundgarden since Cornell’s 2017 suicide until that benefit concert, which the suit states “is believed to have raised many millions of dollars” – allege the “recipient(s) of the revenue” from tribute benefit show “have not been identified” and are seeking “compensatory and general damages in an amount to be proven at trial” while claiming Soundgarden “suffered damages” and “reputational harm” as a result of Vicky’s alleged actions.
Vicky ’s lawyer, Marty Singer, called the allegations “salacious, scurrilous, and vicious” while alleging Soundgarden received $78,000 to perform at the 2019 event.
The countersuit follows a lawsuit Vicky filed last December against the surviving Soundgarden bandmates claiming they are withholding royalties from her over seven unreleased recordings Chris made before his death, which the group denied in their response to the legal action.
Read more details about the issue at rollingstone.com.
Soundgarden were among the nominees under consideration for entry into the 2020 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame; the Seattle band failed to garner enough music industry support to be inducted on their first nomination.
Cornell’s self-titled posthumous 2018 compilation album won a Grammy Award in January in the Best Recording Package category, highlighting the work of Barry Ament, Jeff Ament, Jeff Fura and Joe Spix.
See also:
Chris Cornell’s daughter performs Temple Of The Dog classic for COVID-19 relief
Soundgarden responds to Chris Cornell widow’s lawsuit over unreleased recordings
Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell wins posthumous Grammy Award
The Doobie Brothers and T. Rex among 2020 Rock Hall inductees
Search Soundgarden at hennemusic
