Chad Everett Gilbert, founding lead guitarist of New Found Glory and a defining figure in pop-punk, died Sunday, September 20, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee. He was 45.
The band announced the news on social media, writing that Gilbert “passed away peacefully in his sleep.” He was surrounded by friends and family and took his final breaths with his wife and mother by his side, “just as he wished.”
“We are devastated and shocked by how quickly he left us, yet so grateful for how peacefully and smoothly he went,” the statement continued. “He was a legendary musician, but his favorite accomplishment was being a husband and father. His biggest dreams came true.”
Gilbert is survived by his wife, Lisa Cimorelli, their daughter Lily, his mother Jackie, and his brother Brian. The statement was signed by Cimorelli and bandmates Jordan Pundik, Ian Grushka, Cyrus Bolooki, and Dan O’Connor.
Born March 9, 1981, in Coral Springs, Florida, Gilbert co-founded New Found Glory in 1997. As lead guitarist and backing vocalist, he helped shape the band’s tight, hook-driven sound across more than a dozen albums, from the breakthrough *Sticks and Stones* and *Catalyst* era through later records including 2026’s *Listen Up!*. His playing, songwriting, humor, and drive were central to the group’s identity for nearly three decades.
Beyond New Found Glory, Gilbert sang for the hardcore band Shai Hulud in the mid-1990s and again in the early 2010s, fronted the side project International Superheroes of Hardcore, and worked as a producer. Credits include H2O’s *Nothing to Prove* and A Day to Remember albums such as *Homesick*, *What Separates Me from You*, and *Common Courtesy*.
Gilbert had been open about a years-long cancer fight that began in December 2021, when he was diagnosed with a rare adrenal tumor known as metastatic pheochromocytoma after being found unresponsive at home. The diagnosis later changed to stage 4 adrenocortical carcinoma. In February 2026 he underwent emergency surgery after three brain tumors were discovered; he had lost control of his left hand and leg during a Nashville performance. He returned to the stage that June in Nashville, performing from a wheelchair or motorized scooter so his daughter could see him play.
In their tribute, New Found Glory said Gilbert’s guitar playing, songwriting, humor, and relentless drive helped shape the band. “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.”
Gilbert’s work helped define a generation of pop-punk that valued melody, energy, and direct emotion. Fans and fellow musicians remembered him not only as a guitarist but as someone who kept creating and connecting even while facing a rare and aggressive illness.
