Taylor Hawkins, the happy, wild drummer for Foo Fighters, has died at the age of 50, according to a statement by the band.
“The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins,” read the message, which was posted on social media. “His musical spirit and infectious laugh will live on in all of us forever.” Foo Fighters are currently touring South America and were due to perform at the Estéreo Picnic Festival in Bogotá, Colombia at the time of Hawkins’ death, a spokesman for the band told Rolling Stone.
As news of Hawkins’ death spread, numerous musicians and celebrities took to social media to honor the late drummer. “Bless you, Taylor Hawkins. I loved your spirit and unstoppable rock power,” wrote Rage Against the Machine frontman Tom Morello. share a photo by himself and Hawkins alongside Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction. “Rest in peace my friend.”
“I’ve always admired him so much,” said former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy said by Hawkins on Twitter. “Amazing drummer and a gem of a guy who was always fun to be around.” Producer Steve Albini, nickelback and Musician Finnea also shared tributes to Hawkins.
Hawkins was born in Fort Worth, Texas and moved to Southern California with his family in his early childhood. He first came to prominence as the touring drummer for Alanis Morissette during the Jagged Little Pill era. “When I heard ‘You Oughta Know,’ I was like, ‘I’m in this band!'” Hawkins told Rolling Stone in November 2021. “I just knew.” Hawkins also appeared in the music videos for the singer’s hit singles “You Oughta Know” and “You Learn.”
After inter-studio conflicts resulted in the Foo Fighters’ original drummer, William Goldsmith, departing during the recording sessions for the group’s seminal album, The Color and the Shape, and forcing frontman Dave Grohl to take over drum duties, Hawkins stepped in Official in spring 1997, Grohl later referred to the drummer as his “best friend and accomplice” in his 2021 autobiography, The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music.
During his career with Foo Fighters, Hawkins took on occasional vocal duties, singing lead on 2005’s single “Cold Day in the Sun” and “Sunday Rain” from 2017’s “Concrete and Gold.” Hawkins also frequently sang cover songs with the group, both for Foo Fighters B-sides as well as live performances – including a powerful rendition of Queen’s “Somebody to Love” during a January 2021 show for fully-vaccinated fans in Los Angeles.
Outside of his work with Foo Fighters, Hawkins has regularly collaborated with other musicians and groups — and even launched several side projects of his own. In 2006 he launched a solo career with Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders and reunited with Chris Chaney, his former Morissette touring bandmate and Jane’s Addiction bassist. Hawkins released three albums under the Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders banner and enlisted the likes of Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor, The Cars’ Elliot Easton, Jane Addiction’s Perry Farrell and Grohl. Hawkins also fronted cover band Chevy Metal with friends Wiley Hodgden and Mick Murphy, eventually releasing an album in 2014 called Birds of Satan.
Hawkins leaves behind his wife and three children.
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