Chad Gilbert, New Found Glory Guitarist and Backing Vocalist, Dies at 45

Chad Gilbert, the founding guitarist and backing vocalist of pop-punk outfit New Found Glory, has passed away at the age of 45. A joint statement released by the band and his wife, Lisa Cimorelli, confirmed that Gilbert died peacefully in his sleep on the morning of September 20, with his wife and mother by his side and friends and family gathered around him. While no specific cause of death was disclosed, the guitarist had been battling cancer for an extended period.

In early 2026, Gilbert revealed to People magazine that physicians had identified three brain tumors and diagnosed him with adrenocortical carcinoma, a rare cancer affecting the adrenal glands, following prior treatment for an uncommon form of adrenal cancer. The statement from his loved ones expressed devastation at how rapidly his condition deteriorated, but gratitude that his final moments were tranquil. The sudden influx of visitors who filled the hospital lobby on short notice, the statement noted, illustrated the profound affection so many held for him. It also stressed that while Gilbert earned recognition as a legendary musician, his deepest fulfillment came from being a husband and father, and that his most cherished aspirations had been realized. He leaves behind his wife Lisa, daughter Lily, mother Jackie, and brother Brian.

As a founding member of New Found Glory, Gilbert contributed to every one of the band's albums, spanning from their 1999 debut Nothing Gold Can Stay to their eleventh and latest record, 2026's Listen Up! His musical career also included stints with Shai Hulud and the New Found Glory side project International Superheroes of Hardcore. A native of Coral Springs, Florida, Gilbert performed in multiple bands before co-founding New Found Glory in 1997 alongside Jordan Pundik, Steve Klein, Ian Grushka, and Joe Marino, who was shortly replaced by Cyrus Bolooki. He departed high school after completing 11th grade when the band inked a deal with Drive-Thru Records, remaining with the group through the ensuing decades. Drive-Thru Records, a label that played a pivotal role in shaping the late-1990s and early-2000s pop-punk landscape, also helped launch the careers of acts such as Something Corporate and The Starting Line.

New Found Glory, established in 1997 in Coral Springs, rose to prominence as one of the definitive acts of the pop-punk and easycore movements, celebrated for albums including Sticks and Stones and Catalyst. The band's death marks yet another blow to a scene that has recently lost several of its foundational figures. For listeners who came of age with the band's early output, Gilbert's passing signifies the end of a chapter in the formative era of 2000s pop-punk. As music journalist Brian Kraus once observed, "Chad Gilbert wasn't just a guitarist; he was the melodic backbone that gave New Found Glory their signature urgency and heart." Ultimately, his family's statement makes clear that the life he led away from the stage was the one he treasured most.