We have lost another pillar of our community. Following a very long battle with cancer, Chad Gilbert has passed away. Gilbert made a name for himself as the guitar player for New Found Glory, the band he started when he was 16. He was 45 years old.
Cancer Diagnosis
Gilbert was first diagnosed in late 2021 with a rare adrenal cancer. He has been relentlessly pursuing treatment since then, even undergoing emergency brain surgery in early 2026. most recently he was hospitalized in August after experiencing sudden breathing difficulties and an inability to sleep. An emergency room visit revealed a sizeable accumulation of fluid in his lungs. Although he was discharged, a joint statement released by his family and New Found Glory confirmed that he had been in hospital again when he did pass, surrounded byloved ones including his wife and mother.
ARCHITECT OF A GENERATION'S SOUND
Formed in Coral Springs, Florida, in 1997 alongside vocalist Jordan Pundik and bassist Ian Grushka, New Found Glory quickly became the blueprint for early-2000s pop-punk. Gilbert was the primary engine behind the band's unmistakable sonic signature: blending bright, infectious melodic hooks with the explosive energy, heavy breakdowns, and gang vocals of the Florida hardcore scene he grew up in.
Across nearly three decades and more than a dozen studio releases, Gilbert helped turn a high school outfit into an international touring powerhouse. After breaking out on Drive-Thru Records, the band's 2002 major-label release 'Sticks and Stones' and 2004 release 'Catalyst' landed at the top of the Billboard charts. His driving guitar work and signature backing vocals gave New Found Glory a heavy, energetic edge that stood apart from their peers.
Hardcore Records
Before New Found Glory, Gilbert is remembered as being a memorable vocalist and front man for Shai Hulud, after joining at 14 years old. He appeared on their 1997 album 'Hearts Once Nourished with Hope and Compassion'.
In the mid 2000's, Gilbert worked with Bridge Nine Records to release records as the International Super Heroes of Hardcore, a side project with his bandmates in New Found Glory, as well as forming the hardcore supergroup Hazen Street with members of Madball and H2O.
Production Work
In later years, Chad Gilbert became a respected producer, working with Jeremy McKinnon's A Day to Remember on 'Homesick' and 'What Separates Me from You', with Toby Morse's H2O on 'Nothing to Prove', and with State Champs on 'The Finer Things.
Legacy
Chad Gilbert has had a sizeable impact on music, with a deep catalog of album releases and a long list of production credits. His career took him to unmatched heights and left a lasting impact on music fans the world over. He is survived by his wife and daughter.
