According to his representative, rocker Chris Cornell, who gained fame as the lead singer of Soundgarden and later Audioslave, has died at age 52.
In a statement to The Associated Press, Brian Bumbery says Cornell died Wednesday night in Detroit.
Bumbery called the death "sudden and unexpected" and said his wife and family were shocked by it.
The statement said the family would be working closely with the medical examiner to determine the cause and asked for privacy.
As the lead singer for Seattle-based Soundgarden, Cornell helped architect the 90's grunge rock movement.
He was also a Grammy award-winning, Golden Globe nominated singer, songwriter, guitarist, composer and lyricist.
In addition, Cornell became involved in philanthropy and started the Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation to support children facing challenges, including homelessness, poverty, abuse and neglect.
