35 Years Later, Eddie Vedder Recreates His Iconic Chris Cornell Duet With Stephen Wilson Jr.—and Cornell’s Widow Responds

Stephen Wilson Jr. and Eddie Vedder just did Chris Cornell proud. The musicians took the stage at Ohana Festival 2026, and teamed up to perform Temple of the Dog’s “Hunger Strike” during their set.

Cornell formed the supergroup in 1990, tapping fellow stars Stone Gossar, Jeff Ament, and Mike McCready to join in. Vedder himself was also associated with the group. He provided backing vocals on several tracks, including “Hunger Strike,” throughout their one-album run.

Wilson Jr. himself also has close ties to the track. He released his own version of it on his 2025 EP, Blankets.

The men’s familiarity and love for the song shone through during their performance. In fact, the cover was so good that Cornell’s widow, Vicky Cornell, took to her late husband‘s Instagram Story to praise it.

“Wow- watching this incredible performance of ‘Hunger Strike’ is more than a tribute,” she wrote. “It is a beautiful reminder that the music, the friendship, as well as the lasting legacy that Chris left behind as his songs continue to touch new generations and are embraced by artists today.”

“Thank you Stephen and Eddie- you honored his voice, his artistry, and the spirit of Temple of the Dog with such love and respect,” she added. “I know he would have been incredibly proud.”

Stephen Wilson Jr. Praises Chris Cornell

In a July interview with The Current, Wilson Jr. opened up about his love for the song, which appeared on his EP alongside three other tracks that influenced him as a kid.

“I feel like Chris was very much writing his version of a hymn,” he said. “He repeated the same line. They just repeat the verse and the chorus over.”

“Hunger Strike,” along with the other three songs on Wilson Jr.’s EP, “were really good on their own,” he said. Thus, there was no need for Wilson Jr. to try and “improve on it.”

“It’s already kind of done. You’re just maybe taking it somewhere that it couldn’t have gone before. I have maybe a little bit more of a blue-collar edge. I have an audience that may have not been exposed to that kind of songwriting and that kind of style of music,” he said. “So I really just kind of record the music for our fans and for the kind of music I’ve always tried to make, and not really trying to beat it or make it better because they were all so good in their own right.”

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