Taylor Hawkins, an iconic musician who was actively a member of the band The Foo Fighters, died unexpectantly this week.
He was 50 years old.
The stunning and tragic news was confirmed late Friday by the group in a statement that reads as follows:
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.
Hawkins joined The Foo Fighers — which is also comprised of Dave Grohl, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, Nate Mendel, Rami Jaffee and Franz Stahl — in 1997.
Together, the band has released 10 albums with hit tracks that include “Best of You,” “Love Dies Young” and “This Is a Call.”
The group had been on tour in South America and were set to perform at the 2022 Grammy Awards next month when Hawkins died.
They were set to perform on Friday at the Festival Estéreo Picnic in Bogota, Colombia.
However, organizers were forced to tell attendees that there had been a medical emergency and the band, who were the headlining act, would not be appearing.
Read a projected statement above a candle-lit stage at the festival:
“Due to a very serious medical situation, Foo Fighters will not be able to perform tonight and have canceled the remainder of their South American tour.
“The festival is still on, we have delayed the start of Black Pumas by 20 minutes, and we will soon communicate the schedules for the rest of the night.”
A short time later, The Foo Fighters confirmed this awful loss.
While no further details about Taylor’s death have been revealed, a number of music’s biggest names honored the “Everlong” performer’s legacy late on Friday.
“I don’t have the words. Sad to write this or to never see you again,” Travis Barker wrote via Instagram on Friday.
“I’ll never forget Laguna Beach days when I was a trash man playing in a punk rock band and you were playing with Alanis [Morissette].
“You’d come watch me play in dive bars and be like, ‘kid you’re a star.’
“And I thought you were crazy but you gave me so much hope and determination.”
Added Axl Rose:
“Shocked n’ saddened to hear of the passing of Taylor Hawkins.
“He was a really great guy, drummer n’ family man. Was always great to see him!Was looking forward to seeing him n’ everyone in Daytona. Truly saddened.
“My deepest condolences to his family, the Foo Fighters n’their fans.”
The Foo Fighters were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year.
They also scheduled to perform at the Grammy Awards on April 3.
Hawkins, meanwhile, is survived by his wife Alison Hawkins — who he married in 2005 — and their three kids: Oliver, Annabelle and Everleigh.
May he rest in peace.