Limp Bizkit's Sam Rivers Dies At 48; Band Pays Tribute To Bassist: 'Your Music Never Ends'

Bassist Sam Rivers, who also provided backing vocals for nu metal band Limp Bizkit, died at the age of 48. The announcement was made on the band's official Instagram account on October 19. Fred Durst,

John Otto, Wes Borland, and DJ Lethal shared a joint statement honouring their bandmate. Here's what they had to say.

Limp Bizkit honour 'brother' and bandmate Sam Rivers

On Instagram, the band started off their tribute by writing, "In Loving Memory of Our Brother, Sam Rivers. Today we lost our brother. 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."

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A post shared by Limp Bizkit (@limpbizkit)

They continued, "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. 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.'"We love you, Sam. We’ll carry you with us, always. Rest easy, brother. Your music never ends. — Fred, Wes, John & DJ Lethal," it concluded. Founded in 1994, the hard rock and rap group's biggest hits include songs such as Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle) and Take A Look Around. Recently, in August, the band performed at Reading Festival, and they released a new single, Making Love to Morgan Wallen, in September 2025.

Sam Rivers' last Instagram post

Rivers' last post on Instagram was on October 17, where he noted the 25th anniversary of the band’s album, Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water, on October 17, 2000. His caption stated, "Nothing but love."

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A post shared by Sam Rivers (@samriverslb)

In 2015, Rivers had a brief absence from the group due to liver disease developed from excessive drinking. After receiving a liver transplant, he came back to the band three years later.