Hayley Williams has shared a tribute to New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert following his death at the age of 45, offering a measured look back at their shared history and his place within alternative music. Gilbert passed away on the morning of Sunday, September 20, bringing an end to a five-year battle with cancer.
Gilbert established New Found Glory in Florida in 1997. Over nearly three decades, he functioned as the band's central songwriter, lead guitarist, and backing vocalist, shaping a catalog that became a cornerstone of the pop-punk movement that gained traction around the turn of the century. His wife, Lisa Cimorelli, alongside his bandmates, issued a joint statement confirming that he died peacefully in his sleep with both his wife and his mother present. The group honored the drive, humor, and guitar playing that carried New Found Glory through more than a dozen albums, constant worldwide touring, and various career milestones. They added that his imprint will remain attached to the band across every stage they step onto and in every note they play in the future.
Williams, who was married to Gilbert from 2016 until 2017, broke her silence on September 23 via her Instagram Story. She acknowledged feeling unsure at first, explaining that she had struggled with what to say and had wondered whether commenting in public was even fitting. She went on to reflect that lives intersect for endless reasons, which made her feel confident in acknowledging the connection they once had. In her post, Williams referred to Gilbert as a scene legend. She noted that their time together brought important lessons, lasting friendships, and an introduction to creative work that enriched her world.
She also pointed to how Gilbert broadened her outlook on alternative music, drawing particular attention to his investment in building community and sustaining the culture of hardcore. She wrote that little else needed to be said about his broader legacy in the musical environment where they both grew up, remarking that his attitude and guidance helped move the genre forward. Williams finished her message with words of sympathy and love directed toward Gilbert's family, his friends, and New Found Glory listeners everywhere.
Their relationship spanned nearly a decade before their divorce. The two started dating in 2008 and held their wedding in Tennessee in February 2016. By July 2017, they had decided to separate, maintaining publicly that they remained on good terms as friends who thought highly of each other. Still, the rupture left a distinct mark on Williams' creative output. Paramore wrote and recorded their 2017 album After Laughter during the breakdown of the marriage, while Williams tackled the subject much more directly on her 2020 solo release Dead Horse. She previously noted that she had fought against writing about that past so plainly, comparing the experience to removing a bandage and finding deep sorrow beneath a layer of protective anger.
Gilbert leaves behind a long record of work that anchored New Found Glory through changing musical eras. Williams, meanwhile, is touring North America on The Hayley Williams Show tour. That run included a recent guest spot from Rico Nasty earlier this month for a rendition of Airplanes, which marked the first time Williams had performed the song in sixteen years. Looking further ahead, she has also mapped out a tour across the UK and Europe scheduled for the summer of 2027.
