Foo Fighters Drummer, Taylor Hawkins, Dead at 50

The drummer of the Foo Fighters, Taylor Hawkins, has died at the age of 50, according to a release from the band. No cause of death was announced.

The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins, the statement read. 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.

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— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) March 26, 2022

Hawkins was born on February 17, 1972, in Fort Worth Texas, and grew up in California. Prior to joining the Foo Fighters in 1997, he was the touring drummer for Sass Jordan and Alanis Morissette, as well as the drummer in the band Sylvia.

In 2006, Hawkins released a self-titled LP with his side project, Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders. After working on a number of side projects, Hawkins most recently joined forces with Dave Navarro and Chris Chaney for the supergroup NHC.

American Songwriter recently spoke with Hawkins and NHC about the formation of their supergroup. Hawkins told us:

“The Ohana show happened because we were in this project and having so much fun together. I’ve always tried to do stuff outside of the band, the Foo Fighters. I think all of us are like that and I think everyone in the Foo Fighters is like that. It’s really nice to have another—even Dave’s like that, Grohl’s like that. He just keeps on doing other projects. And the older I get, the more those projects, as well as the band I’m in, matter because I sometimes think I should have done so much more in my 20s, besides just whatever.

“But it took me a while to get comfortable singing. And I always—me and Chaney have been together since Alanis Morisette—but I’m a huge Jane’s Addiction fan. Huge. I’m a huge Dave [Navarro] fan. I’m a huge Perry [Farrell] fan, a huge [Stephen] Perkins fan. All of ‘em. They’re one of the most important bands in my life, still are. So, that’s one of the cool things about what we do is when we have free time, we can go do these things that just spark a new thing for you.”

Hawkins is survived by his wife Alison and three children, son Oliver Shane, and daughters Annabelle and Everleigh.

(Photo by Medios y Media/Getty Images)