Chester Bennington of Linkin Park and wife Talinda arrive at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada, May 20, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

Bennington was close friends with Chris Cornell, who died by hanging earlier this year, and performed Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah at the Soundgarden singer's memorial in late May. He was the godfather of Cornell's 11-year-old son, Chris. Cornell's 53rd birthday would have been Thursday.

"The Cornell family is overwhelmed by the heartbreaking news about Chester Bennington which tragically comes so soon after their family's own loss," said a Cornell family spokesperson. "They open up their loving arms to Chester's family and share in the sorrow with all those who loved him."

When he got his big break in 1999, Bennington was an assistant at a digital-services firm in Phoenix. A music executive sent him a demo from the band Xero, which needed a lead singer. (He had been recommended by his attorney.) Bennington wrote and recorded new vocals over the band's playing and sent the results back. He soon got the gig and the band then changed its named to Hybrid Theory, then Linkin Park.

Bennington told The Associated Press in 2010 that because of the sound the band is known for — fusing sounds from nu-metal, punk, rock, pop and hip-hop — it was virtually impossible to satisfy their many kinds of fans.

"We're making music for us, that we like. We're not making music for other people," he said. "We're not thinking, 'Let's make a pie-graph of all our fans and find out how many people fit in whatever category and then make the perfect album for them.' Like, that would be absolutely ridiculous."

Bennington was married to his second wife, Talinda, and is survived by six children.

Chester Bennington of Linkin Park performs "Burn It Down" at the 40th American Music Awards in Los Angeles, California, November 18, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]