Paramore singer Hayley Williams has shared her first public statement following the death of her ex-husband and New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert, a message posted on Instagram. Gilbert died after a five-year battle with brain cancer at the age of 45.
In her statement, Williams reflected on her connection to Gilbert and the impact he had on her life and career, expressing gratitude for what he taught her about music and community.
“Have not known what to say or if it’s appropriate. But I feel sure now that I want to [because] life is made of the paths we cross and the reasons we cross them are infinite,” Williams said. “Chad is indeed a legend in the scene and my time connected to him taught me a lot. He introduced me to people that continue to shape my life in beautiful ways and to music and culture that has made my life a lot richer.”
Williams went on to praise Gilbert’s influence on the music scene and the community he helped foster over the years.
“There isn’t much that hasn’t already been said about what he contributed to the musical world a lot of us grew up in. His influence and attitude guided the genre forward. His passion for fostering the community was inspiring and sticks with me,” she continued. “I will forever be grateful that from him I gained a deeper understanding and a reverence for the community and the culture of hardcore. Sending my love and sympathies to his family, NFG fam and all his friends.”
Gilbert’s death has drawn tributes from across the music community as fans and peers continue to remember his contributions to the genre. His passing caps a career and personal history that stretch back decades, both in the pop-punk world and in his relationship with Williams herself.
Gilbert helped found New Found Glory as a 17-year-old in 1997. He remained the band’s lead guitarist for nearly three decades. His guitar work, songwriting and production shaped some of the group’s most defining releases, including “Sticks and Stones” and “Catalyst,” records that helped cement New Found Glory’s place at the forefront of early-2000s pop-punk. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of September 20.
Gilbert and Williams’ relationship long predated their marriage. The two were together for years before tying the knot in 2016. They separated the following year in 2017. Their history together, spanning nearly a decade, is part of what made Williams’ tribute resonate so deeply with fans of both Paramore and New Found Glory.
Blink-182 bassist Mark Hoppus was among those who paid tribute, describing Gilbert’s presence in the scene in glowing terms. “Chad was the best friend to every person he met,” Hoppus wrote. He called Gilbert “the most positive and creative force in any room he walked into” and praised the way he fought his illness “like a joyous, courageous warrior.”
Members of Simple Plan, Yellowcard, Neck Deep and Sum 41 also shared condolences, underscoring the breadth of Gilbert’s impact on a generation of musicians who came up alongside New Found Glory.
