• Vicky Karayiannis is a publicist who rose to fame after marrying Chris Cornell, former singer and songwriter.
• She is of Greek descent and her brother is a DJ in New York.
• She married Chris Cornell in 2004 and the couple had two children.
• Vicky is the founder of a foundation helping children in need.
• She has over 40,000 followers on Twitter and is a philanthropist.



Known for movies

Short Info

Net Worth$60 million
Date Of BirthJuly 20, 1964
SpouseVicky Karayiannis, Susan Silver, Black Hole Sun, Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart, You Know My Name, Tampa, FL, USA, Jacksonville, FL, USA, Fort Myers, FL, USA
MarkGoatee
FactEnjoys snowboarding and mountain biking in his leisure.


Who is Chris Cornell’s wife? Vicky Karayiannis Wiki Bio

Vicky Karayiannis was born in the US on 13 August 1978, so under the zodiac sign of Leo and holding American nationality – she is currently working as a publicist but she mostly rose to fame after marrying Chris Cornell, former singer and a songwriter.

Childhood and education

Vicky spent her entire childhood in the US alongside her mother Toni Karayiannis and her older brother Nicholas. She hasn’t talked about her father and because both she and her brother are holding their mother’s last name, it is believed that her father was never really part of the family.

Vicky is of Greek descent, and it appears that her entire family has been interested in music for many years, while they are also owners of a chain of restaurants. Her brother Nicholas is currently working as a DJ in New York, and is better known as DJ Nick Blast.

She hasn’t talked much about her early years, while it is known that she fell in love with music at a very young age as she and her brother were discovering new music together – they would later choose different paths, as she became a publicist, while Nicholas became a DJ.

After she matriculated from a local high school, Vicky decided to completely focus on her career, and didn’t enroll at college.

Career of a publicist

There is not much to tell about Vicky’s career. She launched it as soon as she matriculated from high school and steadily worked her way up. Publicists are not that popular in the world, and nobody seems to be talking about them – Vicky got herself a job as a publicist in Paris, France and has been doing the exact same job for numerous years now.

Personal matters and marriage with Chris Cornell

Vicky met her husband Chris Cornell in 2003 in France – Vicky was working there as a publicist, while Chris was on his tour around Europe with his “Audioslave” band.

Chris Cornell & his wife Vicky Karayiannis at the 2006 World Music Awards in London at Earl's Court

Posted by World Music Awards on Monday, July 20, 2015

They met in between Chris’ performances, and the spark between the two was evident to everyone around – they kept on seeing each other whenever they could during the next year. In 2004, Chris bought a ring from Harry Winston, a popular American jeweler, and asked Vicky to marry him, and they were married by the end of the year – meantime Vicky gave birth to their daughter Toni (after her mother) in September 2004. Their son Christopher Nicholas was born in December 2005, and was named after both her husband and her brother.

The two created a foundation in 2012 with the goal of helping children who do not have a home, are poor, or have been abandoned or abused – both Chris and Vicky have been putting money into the foundation throughout the years.

Vicky is currently running the foundation on her own, as her husband committed suicide by hanging himself on 18 May 2017 – Vicky believed that an overdose on medications made Chris want to kill himself, which is why she sued his doctor for prescribing these medications to him.

Vicky hasn’t talked about any other men she might have dated before or after Chris Cornell, and it doesn’t seem as there is currently anyone special in her life. Judging by the posts on her social media accounts, she is currently single and hasn’t been dating anyone after the death of her husband Chris.

Chris Cornell and Vicky Karayiannis

Who was Chris Cornell?

Christopher John Cornell was born in Seattle, Washington State USA, on 20 July 1964, so under the zodiac sign of Cancer and holding American nationality – he committed suicide by hanging on 18 May 2017 but is still famous for his career as a musician, especially for being the lead vocalist for the “Soundgarden” and “Audioslave” bands.

Cornell is one of the people who launched the grunge movement in music in the ‘90s. He is popular for writing his own lyrics and for his almost four-octave vocal range. He released his first album “Euphoria Morning” in 1999, his second album “Carry On” was published on 2007, “Scream” was released in 2009, and his fourth and last album “Higher Truth” in 2015.

He wrote the song “The Keeper” for the “Machine Gun Preacher” movie which aired for the first time in 2011, and the song won him a nomination for a Golden Globe Award – he is also to be credited with the “You Know My Name” song written for the James Bond movie “Casino Royale” released in 2006.

The “Guitar World” magazine’s readers voted Chris as ‘Rock’s greatest singer’, the “Hit Parader” music magazine put him #4 on their ‘Heavy Metal’s All Time Top 100 Vocalists’ list, the “Rolling Stone” magazine named him ninth best lead singer of all times, and MTV put him at #12 in their ’22 Greatest Voices in Music’ list.

View this post on Instagram

Studio | 2015 ?: @ndrewstuart

A post shared by Chris Cornell (@chriscornellofficial) on

Chris has sold more than 14.8 million albums worldwide and over 30 single records – he won three Grammy awards while he was nominated for a total of 16. He was fighting depression for a long time prior to his death, but eventually lost the fight – he was found on the morning of 18 May 2017 in his hotel room in Detroit. He performed just an hour before his death with his “Soundgarden” band.

The Instagram page mcreated to honor him counts over 560,000 followers, and his net worth was estimated to be around $60 million at the time of his death.

Likes and hobbies

Vicky is currently mostly focused on taking good care of her children and her foundation, but there are numerous other things she is interested in doing.

Vicky was somewhat of a traveler during the time her husband was alive, and the two travelled all around Europe, while they would sometimes go to Asia and the US as well. This changed in 2016 when her husband Chris began having shoulder pain which would not go away, which is the reason why he was using medications. Vicky became a big lover of music thanks to her husband, and she went on to listen to numerous bands but mostly those who sing old rock such as “AC/DC”, “Aerosmith”, and “Guns ‘n’ Roses”. She is also very fond of movies, and her favorite of all times is “One Day” while her favorite TV series is “Friends”.

Vicky has been a philanthropist ever since she began working, and has been helping numerous charity organizations throughout the years, including The Red Cross. She is big lover of animals and often visits a local animal shelter and spends time with the dogs there – she has also donated a notable sum of money to the shelter.

Appearance and net worth

Vicky is currently 41 years old. She has long brown hair and brown eyes, is 6ft 2ins (1.88m) tall, while her weight is not known.

According to authoritative sources, her net worth has been estimated to be more than $600,000 and will keep on rising as long as she remains working as a publicist, and will benefit from her husband’s legacy.

Social media presence

Vicky is not that active on the internet – although she has a couple of accounts on a variety of social media networks, she doesn’t update them that often except for her Twitter account.

She launched her Twitter account in April 2009, and has since gathered more than 40,000 followers, and tweeted over 2,500 times. Her Instagram account is currently followed by 34 people and she has only uploaded nine pictures onto it so far – Vicky has a profile on Facebook as well, which she mostly uses to talk to her family and friends.

General Info

Full NameChris Cornell
Net Worth$60 million
Date Of BirthJuly 20, 1964
Height1.88 m
ProfessionSinger-songwriter, Guitarist, Chef, Restaurateur, Songwriter, Businessperson, Black Hole Sun, Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart, You Know My Name, Tampa, FL, USA, Jacksonville, FL, USA, Fort Myers, FL, USA
EducationChrist the King School, Shorewood High School, Black Hole Sun, Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart, You Know My Name, Tampa, FL, USA, Jacksonville, FL, USA, Fort Myers, FL, USA
NationalityAmerican

Family

SpouseVicky Karayiannis, Susan Silver, Black Hole Sun, Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart, You Know My Name, Tampa, FL, USA, Jacksonville, FL, USA, Fort Myers, FL, USA
ChildrenToni Cornell, Christopher Nicholas Cornell, Lillian Jean Cornell, Black Hole Sun, Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart, You Know My Name, Tampa, FL, USA, Jacksonville, FL, USA, Fort Myers, FL, USA
ParentsKaren Cornell, Ed Boyle, Black Hole Sun, Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart, You Know My Name, Tampa, FL, USA, Jacksonville, FL, USA, Fort Myers, FL, USA
SiblingsKaty Boyle, Patrick Boyle, Suzy Boyle, Peter Boyle, Maggie Boyle, Black Hole Sun, Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart, You Know My Name, Tampa, FL, USA, Jacksonville, FL, USA, Fort Myers, FL, USA

Accomplishments

AwardsiHeartRadio Music Award for Rock Song of the Year, Satellite Award for Best Original Song, World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Song Written Directly for a Film, Black Hole Sun, Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart, You Know My Name, Tampa, FL, USA, Jacksonville, FL, USA, Fort Myers, FL, USA
Music GroupsBlack Hole Sun, Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart, You Know My Name, Tampa, FL, USA, Jacksonville, FL, USA, Fort Myers, FL, USA, Soundgarden, Audioslave, Temple of the Dog, Mad Season, Eleven, Center for Disease Control Boys, Alice Mudgarden
NominationsGrammy Award for Best Rock Song, Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media, Black Hole Sun, Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart, You Know My Name, Tampa, FL, USA, Jacksonville, FL, USA, Fort Myers, FL, ...
MoviesSingles

Social profile links

Marks

#Marks / Signs
1Raw edged vocals
2Goatee

Quotes

#Quote
1I'm not a lyric writer to make statements. What I enjoy doing is making paintings with lyrics, creating colorful images. I think that's more what entertainment and music should be.

Facts

#Fact
1Wife Vicky gave birth to their second and his third child, Christopher Nicholas. It's the first son. [December 2005]
2Left Audioslave, citing "irresolvable personality conflicts as well as musical differences" as the reason. [February 2007]
3New wife Vicky gave birth to his second daughter named Toni on the 18th of September. [September 2004]
4Will be one of the artists with Audioslave in this year's revival of Lollapalooza, started by Perry Ferrell of Jane's Addiction, a touring festival of music and other exhibits. [July 2003]
5Left Audioslave in 2007 due to growing differences between himself and the other band members. The other members of the band went on to reestablish Rage Against the Machine with their former vocalist Zack De La Rocha, while Cornell went back to his solo career.
6First American male to perform the opening credits song for a James Bond film (You Know My Name, from Casino Royale (2006)).
7Dropped out of school at age fifteen.
8His father had Irish ancestry. His mother has English, Scottish, and Northern Irish ancestry. Chris's maternal grandfather, Ralph Trivett Cornell, was born in Rothesay, Nova Scotia, Canada, to Julian Trivett Cornell and Emily Keillor Emmerson. Chris's maternal grandmother, Marion M. MacNutt, who was born in Washington state, was the daughter of a Canadian-born father, James Frederick MacNutt, and a Wisconsin-born mother, Clarabell J. Hubbell.
9Lives in Los Angeles.
10Owns a rock-themed restaurant in Paris called "Black Calavados".
11Vicky gave birth to his second daughter named Toni on the 18th of September, 2004
12Sold over 5 million records with his band Soundgarden. Sold over 300,000 copies of his solo debut, Euphoria Morning, as well as earned a grammy nomination. In 2002 his new band Audioslave sold 2 million copies of their self titled debut.
13Is an avid reader who enjoys books on philosophy and eastern culture. Counts Sylvia Plath among his favourite authors.
14Wrote the track 'Wave Goodbye' about the death of his friend, musician Jeff Buckley.
15Enjoys snowboarding and mountain biking in his leisure.
16November 19th 2002: release of Audioslave's debut album.
17Used to be a cook.
18Wrote "Jesus Christ Pose" as a parody of Jane's Addiction singer / Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell.
19Lead vocalist, songwriter, guitarist and co-founder of the alt rock band Soundgarden (was originally the drummer before Matt Cameron joined and Cornell switched to vocals).
20Daughter Lilian Jean (b. 28 June 2000) (7 lbs 12 oz).

Pictures

Movies

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock2010Video Game writer: "Black Rain"
20 to 1TV Series documentary performer - 1 episode, 2010 writer - 1 episode, 2010
WWE Raw2010TV Series writer - 3 episodes
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien2009TV Series performer - 1 episode
Rage2003-2009TV Series writer - 2 episodes
100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs2008TV Movie writer: "Black Hole Sun"
One Tree HillTV Series performer - 3 episodes, 2008 writer - 1 episode, 2008
Life on MarsTV Series performer - 1 episode, 2008 writer - 1 episode, 2008
Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore2008Video Game lyrics: "Black Hole Sun" / music: "Black Hole Sun"
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation2008TV Series writer - 1 episode
World in Conflict2007Video Game writer: "Shadow on the Sun"
SingStar Amped2007Video Game lyrics: "Cochise"
Ha-Shminiya2007TV Series writer - 1 episode
Rock Band2007Video Game writer: "Black Hole Sun"
Scrubs2006TV Series lyrics - 1 episode
Casino Royale2006lyrics: "You Know my Name" / performer: "You Know my Name"
Becoming Bond2006TV Movie documentary performer: "You Know My Name" / producer: "You Know My Name" / writer: "You Know My Name"
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby2006writer: "Cochise" 2002
Miami Vice2006writer: "Shape of Things to Come", "Wide Awake"
Bug2006performer: "Disappearing Act" 2006 / writer: "Disappearing Act" 2006
Guitar Hero2005Video Game writer: "Cochise"
Audioslave: Live in Cuba2005Video documentary lyrics: "Set It Off", "Your Time has Come", "Like a Stone", "The Worm", "Gasoline", "Doesn't Remind Me", "Be Yourself", "Out of Exile", "I am the Highway", "Show Me How to Live", "Cochise" / writer: "Outshined"
The Work of Director Mark Romanek2005Video documentary lyrics: "Cochise"
Idol2002-2005TV Series writer - 2 episodes
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas2004Video Game writer: "Rusty Cage"
Collateral2004writer: "Shadow On The Sun" - as Christopher Cornell
Riding Giants2004Documentary writer: "My Wave"
Roswell2000TV Series performer - 1 episode
Blast from the Past1999writer: "Drawing Flies"
Great Expectations1998performer: "Sunshower" / producer: "Sunshower" / writer: "Sunshower"
Hype!1996Documentary writer: "Nothing to Say" - as Christopher J. Cornell / writer: "Searching With My Good Eye Closed"
The Basketball Diaries1995writer: "Blind Dogs" - as Christopher J. Cornell
Beavis and Butt-Head1993-1994TV Series writer - 2 episodes
S.F.W.1994performer: "Like Suicide" Acoustic Version / writer: "Jesus Christ Pose", "Like Suicide" Acoustic Version
Top of the Pops1994TV Series writer - 1 episode
Soundgarden: Black Hole Sun1994Short writer: "Black Hole Sun"
True Romance1993writer: "Outshined"
Benny & Joon1993writer: "PUSHIN' FORWARD BACK" - as Christopher J. Cornell
Soundgarden: Motorvision1992Video lyrics: "Little Joe", "Jesus Christ Pose", "Slaves & Bulldozers" / music: "Jesus Christ Pose", "Slaves & Bulldozers" / writer: "Searching with My Good Eye Closed", "Rusty Cage", "Outshined", "Mind Riot"
Singles1992performer: "Seasons" / performer: "Spoonman demo version" - as Christopher J. Cornell / producer: "Seasons" / producer: "Spoonman demo version" - as Christopher J. Cornell / writer: "Birth Ritual", "Spoonman demo version" - as Christopher J. Cornell / writer: "Seasons", "Spoonman"
Wayne's World1992"LOUD LOVE", "ALL NIGHT THING"
Pacific Heights1990writer: "HANDS ALL OVER" - as Christopher Cornell
Soundgarden: Louder Than Live1990Video lyrics: "Get on the Snake", "Hands All Over" / writer: "Gun", "Big Dumb Sex", "Loud Love"
Lost Angels1989writer: "Get on the Snake"
Say Anything...1989writer: "Toy Box", "Flower"
The Promise2016/IIwriter: "The Promise"
Vinyl2016TV Series performer - 1 episode
13 Hours2016performer: "'Til the Sun Comes Back Around" / writer: "'Til the Sun Comes Back Around"
Bones2015TV Series performer - 1 episode
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonTV Series writer - 2 episodes, 2014 - 2015 performer - 1 episode, 2015
Saturday Night LiveTV Series performer - 1 episode, 2015 writer - 1 episode, 1996
A Walk Among the Tombstones2014writer: "Black Hole Sun"
The Marty Stuart Show2014TV Series writer - 1 episode
Fino alla fine del mondo2013TV Series documentary writer - 1 episode
One Hit Wonderland2013TV Series documentary performer - 1 episode
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon2011-2013TV Series performer - 2 episodes
Guardian of the City2013Short writer: "Shadow on the Sun"
Danville 2nd Ward Young Men2013TV Series writer - 1 episode
Man of Steel2013performer: "Seasons" / writer: "Seasons"
Sound City2013Documentary writer: "Rusty Cage"
Late Show with David LettermanTV Series writer - 1 episode, 2012 performer - 1 episode, 2011
Supernatural2012TV Series writer - 1 episode
Sons of Anarchy2012TV Series writer - 1 episode
The Avengers2012writer: "Live to Rise"
The Tonight Show with Jay LenoTV Series performer - 1 episode, 2012 writer - 1 episode, 2012
Metal EvolutionTV Series documentary lyrics - 1 episode, 2011 writer - 1 episode, 2011
We Bought a Zoo2011writer: "Hunger Strike"
Machine Gun Preacher2011performer: "The Keeper" / writer: "The Keeper"
Conan2010TV Series lyrics - 1 episode
X Factor2010TV Series writer - 1 episode

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Chris Cornell: Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart2015Video short
Howard Stern on Demand2011TV Series
Soundgarden: Black Hole Sun1994ShortChris Cornell
Singles1992Chris

Music Department

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Singles1992composer: additional music

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Colossus of Destiny: A Melvins Tale2016Documentary
Jimmy Kimmel Live!2007-2015TV SeriesHimself / Himself - Musical Guest
Good Morning America2015TV SeriesHimself - Musical Guest
Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show2015TV SeriesHimself - Musical Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon2015TV SeriesHimself - Musical Guest
All Things Must Pass: The Rise and Fall of Tower Records2015DocumentaryHimself
Late Show with David Letterman1999-2013TV SeriesHimself - Musical Guest / Himself
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon2011-2013TV SeriesHimself - Musical Guest
Ali 70 from Las Vegas2012TV MovieHimself
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno2000-2012TV SeriesHimself / Himself - Musical Guest
Tavis Smiley2011TV SeriesHimself
Pearl Jam Twenty2011DocumentaryHimself
The Jay Leno Show2009TV SeriesHimself
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien2009TV SeriesHimself - Musical Guest
Last Call with Carson Daly2009TV SeriesHimself
Zulu Awards '092009TV SpecialHimself - Presenter
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts2008TV SpecialHimself
Fashion Rocks2008TV MovieHimself
Howard Stern on Demand2007TV SeriesHimself
Walmart Soundcheck2007TV SeriesHimself
Live Earth2007TV Special documentaryHimself
Guys Choice2007TV MovieHimself
The Henry Rollins Show2007TV SeriesHimself
Chris Cornell: Live from the Fenix Underground2007VideoHimself
Audioslave: Live in Cuba2005Video documentaryHimself - Vocals / Guitar (as Audioslave)
Audioslave: Live@Much2005TV MovieHimself (as Audioslave)
React Now: Music & Relief2005TV MovieHimself
Musikprogrammet - programmet om musik2005TV Series documentaryHimself - Audioslave
Malfunkshun: The Andrew Wood Story2005DocumentaryHimself
Rage1994-2003TV SeriesHimself / Themselves
Audioslave2003Video shortHimself
100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock2000TV Mini-Series documentaryHimself - Member, Soundgarden
Behind the Music2000TV Series documentaryHimself
Showbiz Today1999TV SeriesHimself
Power Vision - Pop Galerie1997-1999TV Series documentaryHimself
Making the Video1999TV Series documentaryHimself
Biography1998TV Series documentaryHimself
We're Outta Here!1997Video documentaryHimself
Hype!1996DocumentaryHimself - Soundgarden
Jam1996TV Series documentaryHimself
Soundgarden: Motorvision1992VideoHimself (Vocals & Guitars)
Temple of the Dog: Hunger Strike1992Video shortHimself
Soundgarden: Louder Than Live1990VideoHimself (Vocals)

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Nation's Favourite Bond Song2015TV Movie documentaryHimself
Video on Trial2005-2006TV SeriesHimself - Audioslave / Himself / Himself - Accused
The Work of Director Mark Romanek2005Video documentaryHimself - Audioslave (uncredited)
Rage2002-2005TV SeriesThemselves

Awards

Won Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2007ASCAP AwardASCAP Film and Television Music AwardsTop Box Office FilmsCasino Royale (2006)
2007World Soundtrack AwardWorld Soundtrack AwardsBest Original Song Written for FilmCasino Royale (2006)
2006Satellite AwardSatellite AwardsBest Original SongCasino Royale (2006)

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2012Golden GlobeGolden Globes, USABest Original Song - Motion PictureMachine Gun Preacher (2011)
2008GrammyGrammy AwardsBest Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual MediaCasino Royale (2006)
2007Gold Derby AwardGold Derby AwardsOriginal SongCasino Royale (2006)

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia
Author

Benjy is currently a reporter for BiographyPedia based in Adelaide, Australia. Prior to joining BiographyPedia in July 2019, he was a Bizarre TV reporter and theatre critic at TheSun. Benjy has also written for DailyMail and TMZ. Benjy studied journalism at Goldsmiths University of London, graduating in 2009. You can contact him at [email protected].

Write A Comment

Pin It