The rock world took another hit today. Sam Rivers, founding bassist and groove architect of Limp Bizkit, has died at 48. The band broke the news with a message that hit hard, calling him their brother, their heartbeat, and their sound.
Rivers wasn’t just another player. His deep, rolling low end made Significant Other and Chocolate Starfish move the way they did. His bass drove the songs, gritty and locked-in, always a few steps ahead of the chaos.
Born in Jacksonville in 1977, Rivers came up in the Florida scene and co-founded Limp Bizkit with Fred Durst and John Otto. He built a career on tone and feel, the kind that couldn’t be faked, only felt. Offstage, he was known to be quiet, steady, and loyal.
Even after years of health battles, Sam never stopped chasing sound. He kept creating, kept pushing. His riffs still shake the floor, and his spirit will keep doing it long after the lights fade.
Rest easy, Sam. The rumble and groove live on.
