Chad Gilbert, the guitarist and co-founder who helped shape New Found Glory into one of pop-punk’s most recognizable bands, has died at age 45 following a years-long battle with cancer.
Gilbert died September 20, surrounded by family and friends. His wife, Lisa Cimorelli, and his New Found Glory bandmates announced his death, saying the musician died peacefully in his sleep with his wife and mother by his side.
His death closes a remarkable chapter in pop-punk history. Gilbert co-founded New Found Glory in Florida in 1997 and spent nearly three decades helping define the band’s energetic combination of punk urgency, melodic hooks and emotionally direct songwriting.
New Found Glory emerged as a major force during pop-punk’s early-2000s breakthrough. Songs including “Hit or Miss,” “My Friends Over You” and “All Downhill From Here” became staples for a generation of fans, while the band’s relentless touring helped build a following that endured well beyond the genre’s commercial peak.
Gilbert’s guitar playing and songwriting were fundamental to that identity. His bandmates remembered him not only for his musicianship, but also for the drive, humor and creative determination he brought to the group throughout its career.
The guitarist had faced serious health problems for several years. He began treatment for a rare form of adrenal cancer in 2021 and later dealt with an increasingly complicated cancer diagnosis.
His condition took another difficult turn in February 2026, when he collapsed at home and underwent emergency brain surgery.
Despite those challenges, Gilbert managed one particularly meaningful return to the stage.
In June, he joined New Found Glory during a concert in Nashville, performing from a motorized scooter as the band played “Hit or Miss” and “My Friends Over You.” The appearance gave Gilbert an opportunity to perform in front of his young daughter, Lily, something he had feared he might never experience again.
The moment reflected what had become increasingly important to Gilbert during his illness. While music had fulfilled one of his lifelong ambitions, he spoke publicly in his final months about the importance of his family and the fulfillment he found in becoming a husband and father.
His family and bandmates echoed that sentiment when announcing his death, remembering a musician whose achievements stretched across albums, tours and decades, but whose greatest personal pride came from the family he had built.
Gilbert leaves behind a substantial musical legacy as part of a band that helped carry pop-punk from clubs and independent scenes into the mainstream. New Found Glory’s influence can be heard across generations of punk, alternative and emo-influenced artists that followed.
For the musicians who shared stages and studios with him, and for the fans who grew up with his songs, Gilbert’s unmistakable guitar work remains woven into the sound of an era.
He is survived by his wife Lisa, daughter Lily, mother Jackie and brother Brian.
