Brad Arnold, lead singer of Grammy-nominated rock band 3 Doors Down, dies at 47
LOS ANGELES– Brad Arnold, the lead singer of the Grammy-nominated rock band 3 Doors Down, died Saturday, months after announcing he had been diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer. He was 47 years old.
The group said in a statement that Arnold “passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones, in his sleep after his courageous battle with cancer.”
3 Doors Down formed in Mississippi in 1995 and received a Grammy nomination four years later for the hit “Kryptonite.” Arnold wrote the song in math class when he was 15, according to the band’s statement.
Their debut album, “The Better Life,” sold more than 6 million copies. A second Grammy nomination came in 2003, for the song “When I’m Gone”.
The band said Arnold “helped redefine traditional rock music, blending post-grunge accessibility with emotionally direct songwriting and lyrical themes that resonated with everyday listeners.”
3 Doors Down has released six albums, most recently “Us And The Night” in 2016. Singles included “Loser,” “Duck and Run” and “Be Like That,” which were featured on the soundtrack to the 2001 film “American Pie 2.”
While promoting their fifth album, “Time of My Life,” Arnold said he considers himself lucky to have made a career in the music business.
“If you do something as long as we’ve done it, you can’t help but get better, you know? Arnold told the Associated Press in 2011.
In 2017, 3 Doors Down performed at President Donald Trump’s first inauguration concert.
Arnold announced his cancer diagnosis last May, saying clear cell renal cell carcinoma had metastasized to his lungs. The band was forced to cancel a summer tour.
“His music resonated far beyond the stage, creating moments of connection, joy, faith and shared experiences that will endure long after the stages he performed on,” the band said.
