Sam Rivers, the bass player for the metal band Limp Bizkit, has died at the age of 48, the band announced on social media. Rivers passed away on Saturday, though the band did not disclose the location or circumstances surrounding his death.
In an Instagram post announcing his passing, the band described Rivers as “pure magic” and “the soul in the sound.” They wrote, “From the first note we ever played together, 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.”
The band added, “He was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of human. A true legend of legends. And his spirit will live forever in every groove, every stage, every memory.”
Fred Durst, Limp Bizkit’s frontman and lead vocalist, posted a heartfelt video Sunday morning recounting how he met Rivers at a club in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Durst spoke about their journey to musical stardom and their performances around the globe.
“I have shed gallons and gallons of tears since yesterday,” Durst said. “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 had previously spoken about his struggles with heavy drinking, which led to liver disease. He left Limp Bizkit in 2015 and underwent a liver transplant before reuniting with the band three years later.
Limp Bizkit is scheduled to embark on a tour of Central and South America, beginning in Mexico City in late November.
Durst also shared that he and Rivers bonded over a mutual love of grunge music, citing bands like Mother Love Bone, Alice in Chains, and Stone Temple Pilots. “He had this kind of ability to pull this beautiful sadness out of the bass that I’d never heard,” Durst said, calling Rivers “so talented I can’t explain.”
With roots in Jacksonville, Florida, Limp Bizkit emerged in the late 1990s with a unique sound that melds alternative rock, heavy metal, and rap. Their off-the-wall sense of humor is reflected in the titles of their mega-selling 2000 album, *Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water*, as well as their single released last month, “Making Love to Morgan Wallen.”
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sam-rivers-bass-player-limp-bizkit-died-at-48-the-band-says/
