Ben Gibbard

Gibbard has been very open about his political views, expressing his support of the Democratic Party. On October 10, 2016, Death Cab for Cutie released "Million Dollar Loan", the first song in the Dave Eggers project, 30 Days, 50 Songs. The song targets Donald Trump, as it makes jabs at the fact he asked his father for a million dollar loan. Gibbard said of the song: "Lyrically, 'Million Dollar Loan' deals with a particularly tone deaf moment in Donald Trump's ascent to the Republican nomination. While campaigning in New Hampshire last year, he attempted to cast himself as a self-made man by claiming he built his fortune with just a 'small loan of a million dollars' from his father. Not only has this statement been proven to be wildly untrue, he was so flippant about it. It truly disgusted me."

As of May 2015, Gibbard tours with four modified 1970s Fender Mustang guitars. Additionally, he uses two custom-built Acme Silvertone amplifier heads. For use on acoustic songs, he relies on two 2008 Gibson J-45 Acoustic Guitars with B-Band pickup systems. As of 2016, Gibbard has since began using Supro amplifiers. In the past, Gibbard used Fender Telecasters and G&L ASAT guitars.

In November 2014, Gibbard appeared as a guest on the Foo Fighters' eighth studio album Sonic Highways.

Gibbard is the subject of the song "Ben's My Friend" by indie folk act Sun Kil Moon. The track appears on the project's sixth studio album, Benji (2014). On Sun Kil Moon's follow-up album, Universal Themes (2015), primary recording artist Mark Kozelek again refers to his friendship with Gibbard on its closing track, "This Is My First Day and I'm Indian and I Work at a Gas Station". Gibbard previously made a guest appearance on the band's third studio album, April (2008).

Gibbard became engaged to actress and musician Zooey Deschanel in 2008. The couple married in September 2009 near Seattle, Washington. They announced their separation on November 1, 2011. Deschanel filed for divorce on December 27, 2011, citing irreconcilable differences. The divorce became final on December 12, 2012. Gibbard later married photographer and tour manager Rachel Demy on October 21, 2016 in Seattle, Washington.

He reportedly gave up alcohol in 2008 and began running marathons. He ran his first trail ultramarathon in 2013 and since then has completed several each year.

He had a small role in the John Krasinski film Brief Interviews with Hideous Men based on the David Foster Wallace short story collection of the same title. He completed a solo tour through the US in the spring of 2007 that featured David Bazan of Pedro the Lion and singer-songwriter Johnathan Rice.

In addition, Gibbard, alongside Steve Fisk, composed and recorded the score for AJ Schnack's 2006 documentary, Kurt Cobain: About a Son. The film also features his cover of Beat Happening's "Indian Summer".

In a 2003 interview, Gibbard stated that while he had previously been a vegan, he had recently become a pescetarian.

While performing guitar in the band Pinwheel in 1996, Gibbard recorded a demo cassette under the moniker Death Cab for Cutie, titled You Can Play These Songs with Chords (1997). After receiving a positive response to the material, Gibbard expanded the project into a full band, with the addition of guitarist Chris Walla, bassist Nick Harmer and drummer Nathan Good. The following year, the band released its debut album, Something About Airplanes (1998), on Barsuk Records, and released its follow-up, We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes, in 2000.

Gibbard was born to Allen and Margaret (Flach) Gibbard in Bremerton, Washington. His father was in the Navy and the family moved around the country, including spending time in Northern Virginia before returning back to Washington state. Gibbard spent his formative years there during the time of the grunge music explosion in the early 1990s. He graduated from Olympic High School in 1994, and studied environmental chemistry at Western Washington University. He was raised Roman Catholic and referred to himself as "this indoctrinated Catholic even though I haven't been to church of my own volition in 10 or 15 years now."

Benjamin Gibbard (born August 11, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie, with which he has recorded nine studio albums, and as one half of the electronica act the Postal Service. Gibbard released his debut solo album, Former Lives, in 2012, and a collaborative studio album, One Fast Move or I'm Gone (2009), with Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt's Jay Farrar.