Born 1948 in Kingston, Jamaica, Cornell got his start in the early 1960s at Studio One. In 1967 he became a member of short-lived Uniques. By 1969, Cornell had his own group called the Eternals.
Cornell sings in a falsetto style and made his mark as a lovers rock singer (although he did record a string of rasta hits in the mid 70s). He recorded 'Stars' and 'Queen of the Minstrels' at Studio One during the late 60s and moved on to Bunny Lee's studios in 1971. By 1980 their relationship ended and Cornell's career and output slowed considerably.