The music world is in shock after learning of the sudden death of legendary Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.
The band announced the news on their social media profiles late Friday night. No cause of death was given. He was 50.
“The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our Taylor Hawkins,” read the band’s statement. “His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever. Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family, and we ask that their privacy be treated with the utmost respect in this unimaginably difficult time.”
The Foo Fighters were scheduled to perform at the Festival Estéreo Picnic in Bogotá, Colombia on Friday. It has been just over a year since Foo Fighters released their 10th studio album, Medicine at Midnight, in February 2021. Hawkins was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame with his fellow Foo Fighters in October of the same year. He was featured with his bandmates in the horror-comedy “Studio 666” that was released just last month.
Tributes to Hawkins came pouring out on social media once the news of his death became known.
Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello tweeted:
Former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy shared a few photos of his time with Hawkins.
Metal legend Ozzy Osbourne gave his condolences:
Hawkins was born in Fort Worth, Texas but later moved to Laguna Beach, Calif. during his childhood. He got his first big break becoming the touring drummer for Alanis Morissette in the mid-1990s. Hawkins would eventually join Foo Fighters as their full-time drummer in 1997 after being contact by Dave Grohl.
Hawkins is survived by his wife Alison and their three children.
Photo credit: Liliana Estrada, Foo Fighters’ Facebook
