The road back to recovery isn’t always an easy one. Frontman, Tim Lambesis is doing as much damage control as possible As I Lay Dying were set to perform a show in Memphis. Growlers the venue came under fire and canceled the show amid criticism from the public and Memphis musicians. The reason for the upset is Lambesis served time in prison after having attempted to hire a hitman to kill his estranged wife back in 2013.

He pled guilty to a charge of ‘solicitation of another to commit murder’ and was eventually paroled in December of 2016. He faced the charge after allegedly attempting to hire an undercover detective posing as a hitman to murder his estranged wife, Meggan Lambesis.

Lambesis was disappointed the show was canceled and provided a statement. He said, “Throughout my four year incarceration and release, I’ve sought meaningful personal change and surrounded myself with family, friends, and counsel. I’m grateful to have earned the support of my bandmates, my wife, family, and fans who’ve also given me this chance.”

The frontman has taken various actions including working with other inmates to help them develop skills upon their release. He’s also worked as a case manager in addiction treatment, spent time tutoring inmates to get their highschool diploma and worked to become certified as an addiction treatment counselor. All these actions have been taken in part to create value as a remedy to his past actions.

Lambesis also states, “Through AILD, our recent tours have allowed us the opportunity to donate proceeds of sales to organizations that help others—notably Heart Support and families affected by the California fires. Thanks to our fans connecting with this message, we were able to become one of Heart Support’s main contributors (https://heartsupport.com/). We strongly believe in their objective to offer emotional support and counseling to young adults caught in cycles of depression, abuse, and addiction, and will continually support charities that further the process of healing for others.”

In the summer of 2018, the band announced their first proper world tour in years beginning in North America and European fans were thrilled. With sold out shows, the band had to upgrade to larger venues to accommodate the audience size. The band tweeted a statement regarding the upgraded venues, saying “Europe: please note some venues have been upgraded due to high demand. These shows are selling fast – get your tickets now.”

Guitarist Phil Sgrosso was puzzled about the potential of reuniting the band after Lambesis was released from prison. “So when I heard that you were getting out of jail. All of us were just on edge. Our community was on edge of just like ‘What is this guy going to be up to, now?’ Now, they are back by overwhelming demand.

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat