Guitarists React to the Death of Chester Bennington

Features
By published

(Image credit: Rich Fury/Getty Images)

Guitarists and musicians across the world are mourning the loss of Chester Bennington, the lead singer of Linkin Park, one of the century's most popular rock bands.

Hybrid Theory, Linkin Park's debut, was 2001's best selling album, and earned the band a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance and a nomination for Best Rock Album at the 2002 edition of the ceremony.

Below, you can see a host of musicians paying tribute to Bennington on social media, starting with longtime bandmate, Mike Shinoda, who confirmed Bennington's death. Shinoda simply said that Bennington's tragic death had left him "shocked and heartbroken."

RIP CHESTER BENNINGTON. We can never know someone's pain. Prayers to his family in this tragedy. If you need help REACH OUT. @RollingStonepic.twitter.com/DmtWrHNgeY

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) July 20, 2017

So sorry to hear the news about Chester. Condolences to his friends and family. Depression is such a serious issue. https://t.co/NqEGRT4AHD

— Taking Back Sunday (@TBSOfficial) July 20, 2017

RIP Chester Bennington.

Jackson Maxwell
Jackson Maxwell

Jackson is an Associate Editor at GuitarWorld.com. He’s been writing and editing stories about new gear, technique and guitar-driven music both old and new since 2014, and has also written extensively on the same topics for Guitar Player. Elsewhere, his album reviews and essays have appeared in Louder and Unrecorded. Though open to music of all kinds, his greatest love has always been indie, and everything that falls under its massive umbrella. To that end, you can find him on Twitter crowing about whatever great new guitar band you need to drop everything to hear right now.

More about guitarists

“At first, I honestly thought it was a joke. Even now, it hasn’t quite sunk in”: Eric Clapton recently named Toshiki Soejima as one of his favorite contemporary Japanese players – now, the neo-soul guitarist has finally met his guitar hero

“Vince Gill is probably the best guitarist of any of us on that stage, but he isn’t doing a ton of heavy-lifting guitar-wise”: Chris Holt on how he got the Eagles gig – and what fans can expect from the new-look guitar line-up

“I had big shoes to fill, but I knew I had a lot to offer on my own. I think Billy Corgan saw that in me”: From Veruca Salt to the Smashing Pumpkins and Garbage, Nicole Fiorentino has become alt-rock's go-to bassist
See more latest
Most Popular
Nicole Fiorentino
“I had big shoes to fill, but I knew I had a lot to offer on my own. I think Billy Corgan saw that in me”: From Veruca Salt to the Smashing Pumpkins and Garbage, Nicole Fiorentino has become alt-rock's go-to bassist
Wednesday 13
“We both wanted to shred. Joey wanted to be as crazy on guitar as he was on drums”: Wednesday 13 on getting his guitar confidence back – with help from some heroes – and the Murderdolls future that never happened
Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins is haloed by a stage light and wears black as he performs live with his white signature Reverend electric guitar.
“I still use the Strat and Big Muff sound here and there for overdubs, but when I watched Eddie Van Halen play 3 feet in front of me, I learned that it’s about the hands”: Billy Corgan on critics, tone secrets, and how he keeps Smashing Pumpkins fresh
Andy Summers and Robert Fripp Looking at their Hands
“I subsequently became the world’s most famous guitarist with The Police. I wanted to play with somebody else to see how I’d do, like an experiment on myself”: At the height of his ’80s success, Andy Summers needed a challenge – he found Robert Fripp
Fred Tackett
“Dylan asked, ‘What’s the least amount of notes you can play?’ I said, ‘I could play one.’ He goes, ‘Do that’”: Fred Tackett compares his gigs with Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, and Bob Seger, and recalls his friendship with Lowell George
Mark Morton
“Dime is in there. I have a big Eddie Van Halen influence. The same goes for Eric Clapton. It all channels back to the blues”: Mark Morton explains why he’s jamming with Grace Bowers and Jason Isbell on his solo album – and those Gibson signature rumors
James Walbourne and Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders pose with Telecasters against a mauve background. Hynde wears a Motörhead T-shirt.
“I’d go into a soundcheck, there’d be all these cases open and they’d say, ‘Choose one. We’ll give you a guitar.’ I’d be like, ‘No, thanks. I have a guitar’”: The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde and James Walbourne on what it takes to be a real guitar hero
Rory Gallagher's 1961 Fender Stratocaster
I’ve been involved with guitars for decades, and in all that time I can probably count on two hands the vintage instruments I’ve seen with half the finish gone. Has guitar relic'ing gone too far?
Toshi Dorji plays live and is silhouetted against a deep red background.
“I’ve been to guitar shops and played fancy guitars and cheaper ones. I just don’t understand why people pay so much money”: Tashi Dorji explains why he sees little value in expensive instruments – but views improv guitar as anarchy
Adam "Nolly" Getgood Poses with his custom T-styles: his new collaboration with Bare Knuckle brings us a PAF-alike with more output, designed for the player of today's tone preferences.
“Anyone can dial in a really fat, thick, saturated guitar tone for single notes, but what happens when they palm-mute? Does it just fall apart? A lot of the time it does”: Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood busts myths about how to get great high-gain tone