Last Updated on 11 hours ago by Vijay Kumar
Chad Gilbert, the founding guitarist and backing vocalist of the popular pop-punk band New Found Glory, has died at the age of 45. He passed away on the morning of September 20, 2026, according to a joint announcement from his wife Lisa Cimorelli and members of New Found Glory.
On the morning of September 20th, Chad Everett Gilbert passed away peacefully in his sleep. He left this world surrounded by friends and family and took his final breaths with his wife and mother by his side, just as he wished. https://t.co/b8oNxSeYIV
— New Found Glory (@newfoundglory) September 20, 2026
The family and band said Gilbert passed away peacefully in his sleep while surrounded by friends and family, with his wife and mother by his side.
Cameron Fontana wrote on Facebook, “So saddened to hear Chad Gilbert passed away today after his hard-fought battle with cancer.
12 years ago, I got to interview New Found Glory for work. As a pop-punk kid who grew up learning Chad’s NFG riffs with the CD playing on repeat, just meeting them was surreal.
Then he heard I played guitar. And that night, to my total surprise, Chad pulled me on stage, handed me his guitar and let me play lead on “Head on Collision.”
While he was living out his dream, he took a moment to make one of mine come true. Chad was funny, generous and incredibly kind, even to”
Gilbert was first diagnosed with cancer in 2021. In February 2026, he underwent emergency brain surgery after doctors discovered three brain tumors. His diagnosis was later identified as adrenocortical carcinoma. Despite his serious health battle, he returned to the stage in June 2026, performing with New Found Glory from a motorized scooter.
Chad Gilbert was born on March 9, 1981, and was raised in Coral Springs, Florida. He co-founded New Found Glory in 1997 alongside Jordan Pundik, Steve Klein, Ian Grushka and Joe Marino, who was later replaced by Cyrus Bolooki.
New Found Glory became one of the major pop-punk bands of the late 1990s and 2000s. Gilbert contributed guitar, songwriting and backing vocals to the band’s music.
The band’s breakthrough came with the 2002 album Sticks and Stones, which included popular songs such as “My Friends Over You” and “Head on Collision.” Gilbert was involved with the band across more than a dozen albums and decades of international touring.
Outside New Found Glory, Gilbert was also associated with the hardcore band Shai Hulud and the side project International Superheroes of Hardcore. He additionally worked as a producer for other artists, including H2O, Terror, Lisa Loeb, State Champs and A Day to Remember.
Chad Gilbert is survived by his wife, musician Lisa Cimorelli, and their daughter, Lily. He is also survived by his mother, Jackie, and his brother, Brian.
My name is Vijay Kumar. I work as content writer and founder of this website. I am studying BSC IT. I has been writing content since 2022. I also learn about journalism.
