FLASHBACK: MMaRchive Session with Chris Cornell

I loved him so much and still love him, the extraordinary talents of the late great Chris Cornell. I was blessed to speak with him many times over the years. This was his last visit to MMR after performing songs in our studio on October 15, 2015.

Few voices have been able to balance power and grace quite like that of Chris Cornell, and WMMR has been fortunate enough to have him on the air with us on several occasions. This MMaRchive Session took place while he was touring in support of Higher Truth, which ended up being his final LP. During the hour long session Chris had a very candid conversation with Pierre Robert while treating the crowd to stripped down versions of “Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart,” “Josephine,” and “Fell On Black Days.” Watch the full interview and performance below.

https://livestream.com/bbgi-philadelphia/events/8179367/videos/204929193

This MMaRchive session was originally recorded on October 15th, 2015, and republished on April 27th, 2020.

Chris Cornell: 9 Times He Reminded Us He Could Sing Anything

In death, it’s easy to elevate an entertainer’s talent or importance. But in the case of Chris Cornell, even before his shocking death in 2017, he was already considered one of the greatest voices in rock history.

From Soundgarden to Audioslave to his solo work, his vocals never failed to move a room. He could sing anything. Literally anything. Genre be damned!

In honor of his life, extraordinary career and remarkable voice, we gathered nine of our favorite Cornell cover songs he either recorded or performed live.

Spoiler: You’ll never hear “Ave Maria” the same way ever again.

'Stay With Me Baby' – Soul standard originally sung by Lorraine Ellison

'Redemption Song' – Reggae classic by Bob Marley

'I Will Always Love You' – Originally performed by Dolly Parton, popularized by Whitney Houston

'One' – A hybrid of U2/Metallica tracks

'Nothing Compares 2 U' – Originally sung by Prince, popularized by Sinead O’Connor

'Billie Jean' – Classic from Michael Jackson

'A Day In The Life' – Classic from The Beatles

'Long As I Can See The Light' – Classic from Creedence Clearwater Revival

'Ave Maria' – Standard often used in Catholic services

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From roughly 10:30am to somewhere around 3 (we call it Pierre Standard Time) weekdays Philadelphia rocks with (and loves) Pierre Robert on WMMR. Pierre Robert began his illustrious career at the pioneering progressive rock station KSAN, in his hometown San Francisco, but it’s through his uninterrupted 42-year tenure at Philadelphia‘s legendary WMMR that he’s made his mark. One of the city’s most recognizable celebrities will write about being at the center of its live music scene and greeting his legions of fans as if personal friends in the smallest clubs and largest stadiums.