Chris Cornell was cremated in a private ceremony on Tuesday ahead of his funeral, his lawyer has confirmed.

The Soundgarden and Audioslave singer’s widow Vicky Cornell and brother Peter Boyle were among four people who attended the ceremony at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, according to a report.

Chris Cornell cremation Audioslave Soundgarden
Fans are invited to pay their respects after a private funeral on Friday (Jordan Strauss/AP)

The 52-year-old’s friends J.D. King and Linda Ramone, who was married to the punk singer Johnny, were also in attendance, TMZ added.

Cornell’s lawyer Kirk Pasich said the cremation came ahead of a “celebration of life” service to be held in Hollywood on Friday.

It too will be private but fans are invited to pay their respects at the grave where his ashes will be buried after the ceremony ends at 3pm.

Cornell was found hanged at the MGM Grand hotel in Detroit on Thursday. The results of a full autopsy and toxicology tests are awaited.

Chris Cornell cremation Soundgarden Audioslave
Cornell and his wife Vicky in 2006 (Yui Mok/PA)

His widow said that the star may have taken a higher dose of an anti-anxiety drug than he was prescribed.

The grunge legend was celebrated as a “true innovator” at the Billboard Music Awards where a moment’s silence was held for him on Sunday.

Dan Reynolds, singer in the rock band Imagine Dragons, described him as “a prolific songwriter, a legendary performer, a singer who had a voice for the ages and a philanthropist”.