Chester Bennington Biography

(One of the Greatest Rock Vocalists of His Generation)

Birthday: March 20, 1976 (Pisces)

Born In: Phoenix, Arizona, United States

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Chester Bennington was one of the lead singers of the legendary rock band ‘Linkin Park.’ He is best remembered for his trademark high-pitched voice that mesmerized many ‘Linkin Park’ fans. What made him particularly special was the fact that he had risen to glory after having faced innumerable challenges and struggles during his early life. Bennington’s childhood was far from rosy. His parents divorced when he was very young, and he became a victim of sexual abuse. As a teenager, he used drugs to deal with emotional distress and took up many jobs in order to pay for his drugs. He was a lonely youngster who hardly had friends. It was this loneliness that eventually started feeding his passion for music, and he soon became part of the band ‘Sean Dowdell and His Friends?’ He later joined a band called ‘Grey Daze.’ His career as a musician took off after he auditioned to be a part of the band ‘Linkin Park.’ The blockbuster reception of the band’s debut album, ‘Hybrid Theory,’ catapulted Bennington to fame. Eventually, he went on to gain the much-needed and deserved recognition, and became one of the most iconic musicians of the 21st century.

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Chester Charles Bennington

Died At Age: 41

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Samantha Marie Olit (m. 1996–2005), Talinda Bennington (m. 2005–2017)

father: Lee Russell Bennington

mother: Susan Elaine Johnson

siblings: Brian Bennington

children: Draven Sebastian Bennington, Isaiah Bennington, Jaime Bennington, Jamie, Lila Bennington, Lily Bennington, Tyler Lee Bennington

Born Country: United States

Quotes By Chester Bennington Died Young

Height: 5'10" (178 cm), 5'10" Males

Died on: July 20, 2017

place of death: Palos Verdes Estates, California, United States

U.S. State: Arizona

City: Phoenix, Arizona

Cause of Death: Suicide

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American CelebritiesRock SingersPop Rock SingersHard Rock SingersAmerican Men Childhood & Early LifeChester Bennington was born on March 20, 1976, in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. His father worked as a police detective, while his mother was a nurse. His parents got separated when he was 11 years old.He received his basic education from ‘Ironwood High School.’ As a child, he took to drugs and started abusing marijuana, alcohol, opium, cocaine, methamphetamine, and LSD.When he turned 17, he started living with his mother. It was during this time that she caught him abusing drugs, after which he was forbidden to go out of the house. Later on, he started working part time at a ‘Burger King’ restaurant to earn a living.Continue Reading BelowRecommended Lists:Male SingersPisces SingersAmerican SingersPisces Rock SingersCareerIn 1993, he became part of his first band ‘Sean Dowdell and His Friends?’ which was a grunge rock band. That year, the band came up with a three-track cassette.Later in 1993, he joined the band ‘Grey Daze’ and recorded singles, such as ‘Wake Me,’ ‘Demo in,’ and ‘No Sun Today.’ However, he wasn’t happy being part of the band as he was not given due credit. Hence, he left the band in 1998.He later joined ‘Linkin Park,’ and in 2000 the band released their debut album, ‘Hybrid Theory,’ for which he provided the vocals. The album achieved much success and attained a blockbuster status. It entered the ‘US Billboard’ charts, and soon became the best-selling album of the year.In 2003, he provided vocals for the ‘Linkin Park’ album ‘Meteora,’ which was released under ‘Warner Bros. Records.’ The album included the hit song ‘Numb.’ The album earned worldwide recognition and peaked at number one positions in the US and UK charts. It also peaked at number two in Australia immediately after its release.In 2005, he created his own rock band named ‘Dead by Sunrise.’ He claimed that some of the songs written by him did not complement with the style of ‘Linkin Park’ and hence created ‘Dead by Sunrise’ to accommodate those songs.In 2006, he played the role of a pharmacy customer in the American action film ‘Crank.’ The film was directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor.His third album ‘Minutes to Midnight’ released in 2007. By selling over 600,000 copies in its first week and peaking at the top spot on ‘Billboard’ charts, it became one of his most successful albums.On October 13, 2009, he came up with ‘Out of Ashes,’ the debut album of ‘Dead by Sunrise.’ The album was moderately successful.In 2010, he provided vocals for Linkin Park’s fourth album ‘A Thousand Suns’ which was a multi-concept album, highlighting the concept of nuclear warfare. The album received positive reviews.Continue Reading Below On October 2010, he appeared in a minor role in the 3D horror film ‘Saw 3D,’ which was directed by Kevin Greutert. The film was not received well by the critics, but it was a success at the box office.In 2012, he featured as the lead singer for Linkin Park’s album ‘Living Things,’ which was one among the band’s bestselling albums. The album featured the lead single ‘Burn It Down.’Recommended Lists:American Rock SingersAmerican Hard Rock SingersPisces MenMajor WorksHis contribution to the band ‘Linkin Park’ is noteworthy. He has contributed to the band’s popular albums, such as ‘Hybrid Theory’ and ‘Living Things.’ Many of the band’s albums, which he worked on, featured on Billboard’s charts and became bestsellers.He provided vocals to Linkin Park’s debut album ‘Hybrid Theory,’ which peaked at number two on ‘Billboard 200.’ The album was inducted into the ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.’ Furthermore, he provided vocals for the four times platinum certified album ‘Meteora’ which sold 16 million copies around the world.Personal Life & LegacyHe was in a relationship with Elka Brand with whom he had a child named Jamie. Later, he adopted Brand’s son Isaiah.In 1996, he tied the knot with Samantha Marie Olit. The couple was blessed with a child whom they named Draven Sebastian Bennington. Samantha and Bennington got divorced in 2005.After divorcing Samantha Marie Olit, he married former ‘Playboy’ model Talinda Ann Bentley. The couple had three children.On July 20, 2017, Chester Bennington was found dead in his home. He had committed suicide by hanging. It was reported that he was very upset following the death of his friend Chris Cornell. Bennington committed suicide on what would have been Cornell's 53rd birthday. TriviaThis American musician was the lead vocalist and songwriter of the famous rock band ‘Linkin Park.’ He also created his own rock band ‘Dead by Sunrise,’ which released its debut album ‘Out of Ashes’ on October 13, 2009.