New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert has died at the age of 45.
Gilbert co-founded the Florida pop-punk group in 1997 and released 11 albums with them. His passing has been confirmed by the band and his wife, Lisa Cimorelli, after a lengthy battle with multiple cancers.
“On the morning of September 20th, Chad Everett Gilbert passed away peacefully in his sleep,” the band’s statement reads. “He left this world surrounded by friends and family and took his final breaths with his wife and mother by his side, just as he wished.
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“We are devastated and shocked by how quickly he left us, yet so grateful for how peacefully and smoothly he went,” the band continues. “The amount of visitors that crowded the hospital lobby at a moment’s notice is a testament to how beloved and cherished Chad was, and always will be. He was a legendary musician, but his favorite accomplishment was being a husband and father. His biggest dreams came true.”
After an initial cancer scare in 2010, Gilbert was diagnosed with a tumor in his spine. Over the summer, following a brain cancer diagnosis and subsequent surgery in February, he returned to the stage in a wheelchair, unwilling to let his health derail his passions.
Away from his legacy with New Found Glory, he also produced records by hardcore punk group H2O and was part of the production team on a trio of A Day To Remember albums, Homesick, What Separates Me from You and Common Courtesy.
“Chad’s guitar playing, songwriting, humor, and relentless drive helped shape New Found Glory for nearly three decades,” says the band.
“Chad challenged all of us to grow as musicians, performers, and human beings. While we are devastated to lose him, we are so grateful for the incredible life he lived, the memories we shared, and the brotherhood we had. His influence will always be part of New Found Glory, and his spirit will be felt on every stage we stand on, with every note we play.”
NFG frontman Jordan Pundik is among those paying personal tributes to the guitarist, saying: “I’ll miss him onstage. I’ll miss him when everyone is off doing their own thing on a day off, and I just need someone to play a round of Dungeon Boss with.
“I’ll miss him arguing with me about where my Strongarm shirt is that he ‘borrowed’ from me when we were 17.”
Love and tributes have poured in from elsewhere, too, with My Chemical Romance bassist Mikey Way, New York hardcore crew Madball, and Good Charlotte’s Joel Madden paying their respects.
Blink-182 bassist Mark Hoppus, meanwhile, said he was a “best friend to every person he met,” in a touching statement.
“[He was] the most positive and creative force in any room he walked into,” Hoppus adds. “These past years he fought his sickness with the soul of a joyous, courageous warrior. With dignity, love, and gratitude. He never complained once, only kept saying how lucky he was. For everything.
“Today we lost a good one, and the world won’t be the same. You’ll be sorely missed by more people than you could ever imagine. See you on the other side.”
Speaking to Guitar World in 2023, Gilbert discussed the limitless possibilities of Les Pauls and opened up about writing the band’s first acoustic album while in hospital.
