The musical legacy and medical journey of punk rock guitarist Chad Gilbert

Countries & Cities · Published 10 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Chad Gilbert was a foundational figure in punk rock, best known as the lead guitarist for New Found Glory. Beyond his influential role in the band, he was a prolific producer and songwriter whose career spanned decades, even as he faced a series of complex and rare medical challenges.

Born in Coral Springs, Florida, in 1981, Chad Everett Gilbert rose to prominence as a founding member of New Found Glory. His early career included a stint as the vocalist for the hardcore punk band Shai Hulud between 1995 and 1998, and again from 2012 to 2013. He eventually left high school after his 11th grade year to pursue music full-time when his band signed with Drive-Thru Records.

Gilbert's influence extended into production, where he shaped the sound of notable albums such as A Day to Remember's Homesick and Common Courtesy, as well as H2O's Nothing to Prove. In 2010, he launched a solo project titled What's Eating Gilbert, offering demos and vinyl records directly to fans online. His collaborative spirit was evident in guest appearances on tracks by bands like Fall Out Boy, Throwdown, and Set Your Goals.

His later years were marked by significant health struggles. In 2021, he was diagnosed with a rare neuroendocrine tumor known as a pheochromocytoma, which was later found to be malignant. His condition evolved into a paraganglioma in his spine and eventually metastasized to his lungs. By 2026, he underwent emergency brain surgery for three tumors, and his diagnosis was reclassified as stage 4 adrenocortical carcinoma. Gilbert passed away on September 20, 2026, at the age of 45.

Throughout his life, Gilbert's personal life was frequently in the public eye, including marriages to Sherri DuPree, Hayley Williams, and Lisa Cimorelli, with whom he had a daughter in 2021. Despite the intensity of his medical battles, which began with a thyroid scare in 2010, he remained a fixture in the punk scene until his death.

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