Cornell Emanuel Phillip is the last in the line of eleven children born to Campbell and Mornlight Phillip. His formative years were spent in an environment rich in the practice and appreciation of music as most of his siblings were involved with the creation and or performance of the art form. With a mind programmed for musical excellence, he lapped up the experience, assimilated it and over time spewed it out in a distilled way that earned him the title of Cornell Fingers Phillip.
At an early age Cornell studied the piano with he sister Valena Letang. His musical growth was nurtured in his artisticfriendly Alma Mata, the St. Marys Academy as he and his friends borrowed instruments and played at school and church events. While Cornell was still at SMA, the band WCK was born with the collaboration of the members of a band called Roof Top Connection.
The Phillips residence was the home of WCK, as it was the workshop for the traditional dance projects of another Phillip son, Daryl.