Sam Rivers, Limp Bizkit Bassist, Dead at 48
Limp Bizkit is mourning the loss of one of their own.
Sam Rivers, the bassist and cofounder of the nu metal band, has died at the age of 48.
“Today we lost our brother,” the group, of which includes lead vocalist Fred Durst, guitarist Wes Borland, drummer John Otto and DJ Lethal, shared in a Oct. 18 statement posted on social media. “Our bandmate. Our heartbeat. Sam Rivers wasn’t just our bass player—he was pure magic. The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound.”
“From the first note we ever played together,” they added, “Sam brought a light and a rhythm that could never be replaced. His talent was effortless, his presence unforgettable, his heart enormous. We shared so many moments—wild ones, quiet ones, beautiful ones—and every one of them meant more because Sam was there.”
Noting that he was a “once-in-a-lifetime kind of human,” Rivers’ bandmates described him as a “true legend of legends.”
“And his spirit will live forever in every groove, every stage, every memory,” they concluded. “We love you, Sam. We’ll carry you with us, always. Rest easy, brother. Your music never ends.”
Together, Rivers and Durst formed Limp Bizkit in Jacksonville, Florida in 1994. After releasing four albums and one EP over the course of 11 years, the band would go on a hiatus before reuniting in 2009. (Most recently, they released their album Still Sucks in 2021.)
After Rivers’ passing, Durst shared a heartfelt tribute to his longtime friend, noting how he was blown away by his bandmate’s musical talent and the influence he had on those around him.
“I’ve gone through gallons and gallons of tears since yesterday,” Durst, in part, shared in an Oct. 19 Instagram video. “And I’m thinking, my God, Sam’s a legend. He did it. He lived it. You know, with Limp Bizkit, we’ve just been on such a journey. It’s a massive roller coaster and here we are, just having this incredible moment, man. And it’s going so beautifully smooth and Sam was just really, really happy about it.”
Durst went on to note that what Rivers left “behind is priceless.”
“I’m super, super grateful, and I miss him terribly already,” Durst continued, “and all the support and love out there I’ve seen online, it’s overwhelming. He really did have an impact on the world, and his music and his gift is the one that’s going to keep on giving. I just love him so much.”
Rivers’ cause of death is unknown at this time.
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