Chad Gilbert, founding guitarist, songwriter and backing vocalist for New Found Glory, has died at age 45. His family and bandmates announced that Gilbert died on September 20 after years of living with cancer.
The joint statement from New Found Glory and Gilbert’s wife, Lisa Cimorelli, said he died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by loved ones. Gilbert had publicly discussed serious health problems in recent years, including surgery after tumors were discovered in his brain.
A defining guitar voice in modern pop-punk
Gilbert helped form New Found Glory in Florida in 1997 and remained one of the band’s central creative figures for nearly three decades. His playing, songwriting and high-energy stage presence helped shape the band’s sound as pop-punk moved from local scenes into the mainstream during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
New Found Glory became one of the genre’s most durable acts, building a catalog that includes songs such as “My Friends Over You” and a long touring history that connected multiple generations of punk and alternative listeners.
Bandmates emphasized both sides of Gilbert’s legacy: his impact as a musician and the importance he placed on being a husband and father.
Amplifier Take: New Found Glory’s influence on 2000s pop-punk is inseparable from Gilbert’s guitar work and songwriting. His death closes a chapter for a band whose sound helped define an era, but the records and the artists they influenced will keep that contribution audible.
Featured-image note: Use a licensed archival performance photo or a simple memorial-style original graphic.