Hayley Williams has paid tribute to her former husband, New Found Glory’s Chad Gilbert, following the guitarist’s death on September 20.
Gilbert passed away at home in Nashville, six months after sharing photos from his hospital bed as he recovered from brain cancer surgery.
A true lifer on the hardcore and pop-punk scenes , Gilbert joined Florida hardcore band Shai Hulud in 1996 as their vocalist, when he was just 14 years old, before founding New Found Glory the following year.
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Williams and Gilbert began dating in 2008, and the pair were married in 2016-2017.
In a statement posted on Instagram stories, Williams admitted that she had “not known what to say or if it’s appropriate” following Gilbert’s death, then added, “But I feel sure now that I want to bc life is made of the paths we cross and the reasons we cross them are infinite.
“Chad is indeed a legend in the scene and my time connected to him taught me a lot,” she continued. “He introduced me to people that continue to shape my life in beautiful ways, and to music and culture that has made life a lot richer.
“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.
“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 love and my sympathies to his family, NFG fam, and all his friends.”
The surviving members of New Found Glory paid their own tribute to the driving force behind their band when announcing his death.
“Chad’s guitar playing, songwriting, humour, and relentless drive helped shape New Found Glory for nearly three decades,” they posted. “Through more than a dozen albums, endless tours around the world, and more accolades than we ever could have imagined, Chad challenged all of us to grow as musicians, performers, and human beings.
“While we are devastated to lose him, we are so grateful for the incredible life he lived, the memories we shared, and the brotherhood we had. His influence will always be part of New Found Glory, and his spirit will be felt on every stage we stand on, with every note we play.”
