Foo Fighters’ drummer Taylor Hawkins dies aged 50 found unresponsive in his hotel room in Colombia

The Foo Fighters longtime, charismatic drummer, Taylor Hawkins, has died at the age of 50.  

Taylor was found dead in a hotel room in Bogota, Colombia where the band were due to play at a festival on Friday night. 

The group were scheduled to play at the Festival Estéreo Picnic in the Colombian capital. 

Hawkins had just completed a host of tour dates in South America. He had joined the band Hawkins after the band completed their 1997 album The Colour and the Shape.

No cause of death was immediately announced. 

Before joining the band, Hawkins played drums for Alanis Morissette.  

He was recruited by frontman Dave Grohl – Nirvana’s own legendary drummer – as the band’s success soared with the release of second album The Colour and the Shape.

When Hawkins came aboard, the Foo Fighters’ moved from the alternative rock scene to achieve mainstream success, regularly packing out arenas and stadiums. 

The Foo Fighters charismatic drummer, Taylor Hawkins, has died at the age of 50

No cause of death was immediately announced but the band revealed they were ‘devastated by the tragic and untimely loss’

Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters perform during day one of Lollapalooza Chile 2022 at Parque Bicentenario Cerrillos on March 18, 2022 in Santiago, Chile. This is believed to be the last publicly known photo of him

Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters perform at The Innings Festival 2022 at Tempe Beach Park on February 26, 2022 in Tempe, Arizona

An imaginative and rock-solid drummer, he had the seemingly thankless task of playing drums behind Foos singer-guitarist Dave Grohl, who is one of the greatest drummers in rock history. 

Hawkins filled that role with aplomb, bringing his own hard-hitting, time-juggling style to the band’s straight-ahead rock sound without trying to emulate Grohl. 

He was also a strong singer and frequently took the mic during the band’s concerts and on B-sides, often on cover versions (such as a 2008 team-up with Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, when Grohl went behind the drum kit at Hawkins took the mic). 

He also cowrote many of the band’s songs. 

Hawkins and his wife have three children, one of whom is pictured here, Taylor Hawkins, leftl and Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters are pictured prior to the Grammy awards in 2014

Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffee, Dave Grohl, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, and Nate Mendel pose backstage as The Foo Fighters reopen Madison Square Garden in June 2021

Hawkins was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Paul McCartney together with Foo Fighters last year.

‘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 difficult time,’ the band wrote in a statement.  

The band had been scheduled to perform at the Grammys on April 3 with a North American tour starting in May.  

Born Oliver Taylor Hawkins in Fort Worth, Texas, he had worked as a touring drummer for the likes of Alanis Morissette and Sass Jordan before joining Foo Fighters in 1997.

His career went from strength to strength and he was named Best Rock Drummer in 2005 by magazine Rhythm.

Taylor then joined the band after the singer Dave Grohl fell out with the drummer William Goldsmith. Goldsmith then left the group. 

Grohl had also previously been the drummer in Nirvana and the group ended up re-recording an album they made with Goldsmith, with Grohl playing the drum parts himself before reaching out to an acquaintance when looking for recommendations for a new drummer, who suggested Taylor.

Grohl was under the impression Taylor wouldn’t want to leave Morissette’s touring band but Taylor decided to join the band stating that he had long wanted to be the drummer in a rock band.

Taylor also provided vocals, guitar and piano for the band on various recordings.

Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters performs onstage at the after party for the Los Angeles premiere of ‘Studio 666’ at the Fonda Theatre on February 16, 2022 in Hollywood, California

 (From left-right) Nate Mendel, Taylor Hawkins, Dave Grohl, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett and Rami Jaffee of Foo Fighters attend the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony  in October 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio