SoundSlave Headlines for Chris Cornell Music Therapy Program

Chris Cornell: talented, creative, a legendary artist and tortured soul. A fighter who battled years of abuse, depression and torment. His struggle eventually pushed him to the brink. He could not take another day and ultimately, and still incredibly hard believe, he died by sucide May 18, 2017.

This past July, on the birthday of Chris Cornell (July 20th), The 2nd Annual Tribute Concert Celebrating Chris Cornell. We did just that: Celebrate. This year we find ourselves at The Yost Theater in Santa Ana, CA. The Yost was recently renovated and it looks amazing inside and out. The sound is fantastic. The venue was truly a perfect place to hold this incredible event filled with love, art, and music.

On this warm July evening, there were 3 bands set to hit the stage; Vitalogy a Tribute to Pearl Jam, Ryan Quinn, and another band that particularly caught my attention, Soundslave. The cool name alone gets the point across, however, this Tribute Band has a bit of a twist. Yolanda Johnston is the founder and front woman.

First the back story of Yolanda Johnston:

Seattle is Yolanda’s hometown. She takes great pride in the world taking note of the amazing amount of talent that pours out of her fair city, and rightfully so. She grew up listening to all types of music including all the monsters of rock. Any and all kind of music is Yolanda’s kind of music. She eats, breathes and sleeps music. It’s the Seattle Music Scene that pumps through her veins.

Growing up in Seattle surround by art, creativity and music, her musical journey had already begun. Now with some legs that brought Yolanda to Southern California by way of Santa Monica Conservatory of Music. She studied Music Theory & Performance. She is thankful and grateful to have been surrounded by so many talented, like minded people, whom just want to learn, play music and entertain.

When she finished up her studies in 2009, she trickled down south a bit further to Sunny San Diego. Shortly after moving, she was watching a local news program. There was a band on performing live. She thought to herself, “I want to be on the news”. Play on the news with her band that is, not anchor the news, even with those bright pearly whites. San Diego is home to some legendary news anchors. I recall a movie about a few of them…

**For the record, I’m not sure Yolanda herself could count how many times she has since played on that very same news program.

As she was getting settled in San Diego and looking for a project to sink her teeth into, she answered a Craigslist ad for a band looking a vocalist. Yolanda Johnston, welcome to San Diego and to your new band: Have a Cigar, a Tribute to Pink Floyd.

A few short months later she played her first gig with her new band in one San Diego’s premier concert venues, Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach California. What an entrance into the San Diego Music Scene!

Have a Cigar’s course was a great adventure and such an amazing time for Yolanda, meeting some heavy hitters in her new city. As Have a Cigar was winding down, she began playing out in one off’s with randoms where she found the experiences very rewarding. Eventually landing in an original band, where she was happy to write and create music from her heart and soul. They recorded in Iacon Sound in Golden HIlls, just outside downtown. Unfortunately those recordings never made it to press, but hold a very big place in Yolanda’s heart.

Yoland once again found herself a new gig fronting another tribute band this one YY-Zed a Tribute to Rush. It often happens that players find themselves in multiple bands at once. Yolanda found herself playing in YY-Zed, sitting in with artists, and creating. Eventually and inevitably, she stopped fighting what was so apparent to just about everyone, and formed Soundslave, a Tribute to Sound Garden and Audio Slave, in honor of her hometown homie, Chris Cornell.

After the sucide of Chris Cornell, Yolanda was devastated as so many of us were. He is her brother by way of music, and he was gone. Seattle had her heart more than ever, even though it may have been in pieces at the time.

She was at a loss, not sure what to do with all her energy, anger, sadness, love, admiration and sorrow, over the loss. She was restless and could not settle into herself after the devastating news, a piece of her soul that she will never regain, gone, yet still felt so connected.

Not long after his May 2017 sucide Yolanda was approached by a promoter in San Diego, asking if she would be interested in playing a show to honor Mr. Cornell on his Birthday in July. It was a very fresh wound, and it was difficult to respond, but a “yes” it was. That is her place, where her heart lies, on stage, preforming the music of her Seattle Brother is only fitting. She would honor his memory through his music.

In 2018 the same promoter asked for Soundslave’s services once again. This time they just threw it down as Celebrating Chris Cornell, 1st Annual Tribute Concert. Another very emotional evening indeed.

Here it is, July 2019, we find ourselves at the Yost Theater in Santa Ana Celebrating Christ Cornell, 2nd Annual Tribute Concert. This evening was produced by Bobbie Fink & Kristi Enigl. WOW, sums it up in my book. The Ladies did an amazing job at all of the things. There was a VIP meet and greet package available including a swag bag with some amazing limited edition T’s, artwork by Ken Meyer Jr, and brought to life in shirts, flyers, posters by Emily Sheafe.

There were so many heroes there I wouldn’t even know where to start that list.

What Bobbie & Kristi pulled off in 5 months is really quite remarkable. They choose the perfect bands & venue, there were raffles, silent auctions, limited edition and one of a kind items for sale.

The event was an overwhelming out pouring of love, gratitude and mad respect for Chris Cornell. From the talent on the stage to the support from the community and fans alike. It was a magical evening indeed.

** With the support of Chris’s widow, Vicky, proceeds from this event were donated to the Chris Cornell Music Therapy Program at Childhaven, Seattle.