Kent Abbott, former guitarist for Canadian punk band Grade, dies at age 32

TORONTO – Kent Abbott, one-time guitarist for Canadian punk bands Grade and Somehow Hollow, has died. He was 32.

No cause of death was provided in an obituary posted on the website of a Stratford, Ont., funeral home.

Born in Tillsonburg, Ont., Abbott played with Grade in the early 2000s, joining the band not long before the end of their initial run.

After that band split in ’02, Abbott went on to play with Somehow Hollow and .45 Goodbye.

Punk peers and fans took to Twitter on Thursday to lament Abbott’s passing.

This Is the Noise frontman Ian Blackwood said he was mourning his “brother,” while Stray From the Path drummer Dan Bourke also paid tribute, writing that Grade’s songs would be the soundtrack to a movie of his life.

“Shocked and saddened to hear that friend and Grade/Somehow Hollow guitarist Kent Abbott passed away,” read a tweet on Grade’s own page.

“We will miss your energy, laughter and kind spirit. RIP Kent Abbott. Truly one of a kind.”