Taylor Hawkins, drummer for the rock group Foo Fighters, has died at the age of 50, his bandmates reported on Friday, March 25th, in a statement through their social networks.
A member of one of the most influential and critically acclaimed alternative rock bands in the world, Hawkins was known for his onstage charisma and his grooves inspired by the classic rock of legends like Phil Collins and Roger Taylor.
Hawkins had been a part of the Foo Fighters since 1997, when he was hired by lead singer and former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, providing percussion on some of the group’s biggest hits, including “Learn to Fly” and “Best of You.”.
“The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins. 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 dificult time“, the band said in a statement on Twitter.
The statement did not specify the cause of Hawkins’ death, but the news came on the same day the band was due to play at the Festival Estéreo Picnic in Bogotá, Colombia.
A source from the Colombian Prosecutor’s Office told AFP that Hawkins’ body was found in a hotel in eastern Bogotá. The festival said in a statement that the band’s planned performance will not take place.