New Found Glory founding guitarist Chad Gilbert dies at 45
Gilbert, whose guitar playing and songwriting helped shape New Found Glory for nearly three decades, died September 20 after years of cancer treatment.
Sep 21, 2026
Credit: NME
Chad Gilbert, founding guitarist and songwriter with New Found Glory, died on September 20 at the age of 45. The band and Gilbert's wife, Lisa Cimorelli, announced that he died peacefully in his sleep with family around him. Gilbert had been undergoing cancer treatment since 2021 and had returned to the stage with New Found Glory in June after emergency brain surgery earlier in 2026.
Gilbert co-founded New Found Glory in Florida in 1997 and remained central to the band's guitar sound, songwriting and live identity across more than a dozen albums and decades of touring. In its statement, the band specifically credited his guitar playing, songwriting and drive with helping shape New Found Glory.
His influence also reached beyond his own band through production and other projects, but his long-running role in New Found Glory made him one of the recognizable guitar figures of the pop-punk generation. He is survived by his wife Lisa, daughter Lily, mother Jackie and brother Brian.
Credit: New Found Glory
Official New Found Glory video from 2022 about Chad Gilbert's cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Why it matters
Gilbert was a founding member and creative anchor of New Found Glory for nearly three decades, giving his death significance well beyond a routine lineup change and marking the loss of an influential guitarist from modern pop-punk.
Sources
- https://www.nme.com/news/music/new-found-glory-guitarist-chad-gilbert-dies-aged-45-3969796(primary)
- https://people.com/chad-gilbert-dead-new-found-glory-guitarist-12130460
- https://www.kerrang.com/chad-gilbert-guitarist-of-new-found-glory-has-died-aged-45
- https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2026/09/20/new-found-glory-obituary-chad-gilbert/2451789951222/
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