los angeles — Brad Arnold, lead singer of the Grammy-nominated rock band 3 Doors Down, died on Saturday, months after announcing his diagnosis of stage 4 kidney cancer. He was 47 years old.
The band said in a statement that Arnold “died peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones, in his sleep after his courageous battle with cancer.”
3 Doors Down formed in Mississippi in 1995, and four years later received a Grammy Award nomination for their hit song “Kryptonite.” Arnold wrote the song in math class when he was 15 years old, according to the band’s statement.
Their debut album, “The Better Life,” sold over 6 million copies. Her second Grammy nomination came in 2003 for the song “When I’m Gone.”
The band said Arnold “helped redefine mainstream rock, blending post-grunge accessibility with emotionally direct songwriting and lyrical themes that resonated with mainstream listeners.”
3 Doors Down have released six albums, most recently “Us And The Night” in 2016. Singles include “Loser,” “Duck and Run” and “Be Like That,” which appeared 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 started a career in music.
“If you do something as long as we’ve done it, you can’t help but get better at it, you know?” Arnold told The Associated Press in 2011.
In 2017, 3 Doors Down performed at President Donald Trump’s first inauguration.
Arnold announced his cancer diagnosis last May, saying clear cell kidney cancer had spread to his lungs. The band had to cancel a summer tour.
“His music resonated far beyond the stage, creating moments of connection, joy, faith and shared experiences that will live on long beyond the stages he performed,” the band said.