Sam Rivers, bassist and founding member of Limp Bizkit, dies aged 48

Sam Rivers, bassist for the rock band Limp Bizkit, has died at the age of 48.

Rivers’ death was confirmed by the band in a heartfelt social media post on Saturday, where they wrote:

“Today we lost our brother. 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. 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.”

The band did not share any further details about his death.

Rivers’ last update on social media came on Friday, when he shared a “Save The Date” video announcing Limp Bizkit’s performance at the Rock for People festival in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic, scheduled for June 2026. The bassist and his bandmates last performed together in August at the Leeds Festival in the United Kingdom.

In 2015, Rivers left Limp Bizkit after being diagnosed with liver disease, but he rejoined the band in 2018. Speaking to Variety, Rivers opened up about his health struggles:

“I got liver disease from excessive drinking. I had to leave Limp Bizkit in 2015 because I felt so horrible, and a few months after that I realized I had to change everything because I had really bad liver disease. I quit drinking and did everything the doctors told me. I got treatment for the alcohol and got a liver transplant, which was a perfect match.”

Limp Bizkit, a pioneering nu-metal band that rose to fame in the 1990s, was nominated for three Grammy Awards. Their hits, including “Rollin'” and “Nookie,” charted on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, helping define an era of rock music.

Fred Durst, Limp Bizkit’s frontman and longtime bandmate, shared emotional memories of meeting Rivers for the first time. Durst recalled hearing Rivers play at a bar in Jacksonville, Florida, while searching for bandmates:

“He was killing it on the bass. I saw Sam play and I was blown away,” Durst said in a video posted on social media Sunday morning. “He’s playing a five-string bass too. I’d never really seen someone using a five-string bass. He was so smooth and good and he stood out. I could hear nothing else but Sam. Everything disappeared besides his gift.”

When Durst approached Rivers after the performance with the idea of forming a band, the bassist didn’t hesitate.

“He looked at me and said, ‘Killer. I’m in. Let’s do it,'” Durst recalled. “I’ve gone through gallons and gallons of tears since yesterday and I’m thinking, ‘My God, Sam’s a legend. He did it. He lived it.'”

Limp Bizkit’s latest single, “Making Love to Morgan Wallen,” topped several Billboard charts in September, underscoring the band’s lasting impact on the music world.

Sam Rivers’ talent and spirit left an indelible mark on fans and fellow musicians alike. He will be deeply missed.
https://www.npr.org/2025/10/19/nx-s1-5579565/sam-rivers-limp-bizkit-dies