The shocking news was confirmed on the band’s social media

Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters [© Matt Bishop Photo]

Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins has died. The news was confirmed Friday on the band’s official social media. He was 50 years old.

“The Foo Fighters Family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins,” the band said in a statement. “His musical spirit and infections 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.”

At the time of Hawkins’ passing, Foo Fighters were currently on tour in South America preparing for their headlining performance at Festival Estéreo Picnic in Bogotá, Colombia. According to The Bogotá Post, Hawkins passing was first announced by Eric Burton of Black Pumas.

Later on, message was then posted on the LED screen on stage that read “Taylor Hawkins Por Siempre” – which translates to “Taylor Hawkins Forever” – while the Foo Fighters’ song “My Hero” was played through the speakers.

In May, Foo Fighters were scheduled to start a massive stadium tour. The trek would see the band play their largest North American headlining shows ever. The tour was set to kick off on May 14 at the Pavilion at Star Lake in Burgettstown, PA. Additionally, Foo Fighters are slated to headline Welcome to Rockville on May 22. After a quick trip to Europe, the North American dates were to resume on July 17.

The North American run is scheduled to wrap up in late August with two shows at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles.

Taylor Hawkins Foo Fighters
Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters [© Matt Bishop Photo]

Following the departure of drummer William Goldsmith during the recording sessions for The Colour and the Shape, Hawkins official joined Foo Fighters in the spring of 1997. He made his studio debut on 1999’s There Is Nothing Left To Lose (Roswell/RCA). The album peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard 200. The lead single “Learn To Fly” became one of the band’s biggest songs. The platinum-selling LP won the GRAMMY® Award for Best Rock Album, garnering Foo Fighters their first career GRAMMY® win.

Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl would later refer to Hawkins as his “best friend and partner in crime” in his 2021 autobiography, The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music.

“During his stint as Alanis Morissette’s drummer, long before he became a Foo Fighter, we would bump into each other backstage at festivals all over the world, and our chemistry was so obvious that even Alanis herself once asked him, ‘What are you going to do when Dave asks you to be his drummer?'” Grohl wrote.

Foo Fighters released their tenth studio LP Medicine at Midnight last February. The album peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Billboard Top Rock Albums chart. Last July, the band released Hail Satin – an EP of disco covers and live versions of Medicine at Midnight tracks.

With Foo Fighters, Hawkins garnered a total of 12 GRAMMY® Awards. In 2005, he was voted Best Rock Drummer in Rhythm Magazine. Last year, Hawkins was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Foo Fighters.

Taylor is survived by his wife, Alison, and their three children, Oliver, Annabelle, and Everleigh.