Foo Fighters cancel all upcoming tour dates after death of drummer Taylor Hawkins

Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins dies at 50 years old 01:05

The Foo Fighters canceled the rest of their tour Tuesday as they continue to mourn the loss of drummer Taylor Hawkins, who was found dead in his hotel room in Bogota, Colombia last week.

"It is with great sadness that Foo Fighters confirm the cancellation of all upcoming tour dates in light of the staggering loss of our brother Taylor Hawkins," a statement from the band said. "We're sorry for and share in the disappointment that we won't be seeing one another as planned."

pic.twitter.com/RRuEDt67pz
— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) March 29, 2022

The band had been scheduled to play dozens of concerts, many of which were already sold out, across the U.S., Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand this year.

Foo Fighters Perform In Geelong — Drummer Taylor Hawkins (February 17, 1972-March 25, 2022) counted as his influences Stewart Copeland, Roger Taylor, Phil Collins and Stephen Perkins. "I wanted to be Roger Taylor," he told "60 Minutes" in 2014. "I wanted to be in Queen, you know, I wanted to play stadiums when I was 10 years old, there's no question." https://www.cbsnews.com/video/the-drumming-greats-of-the-foo-fighters/Born in Fort Worth, and raised in Laguna Beach, California, Hawkins played with the Southern California band Sylvia and with Sass Jordan, before spending two years touring with Alanis Morissette. In 1997, after a chance meeting with Dave Grohl, he accepted an invitation from Grohl to join Foo Fighters. "At first it took me a while to find my place," Hawkins said of joining Foo Fighters, "but he [Grohl] never made it hard."Over the past 25 years Hawkins contributed to such albums as "There Is Nothing Left to Lose," "One by One," "In Your Honor," "Wasting Light," "Sonic Highways," "Concrete and Gold," and "Medicine at Midnight." Beyond percussion, Hawkins' role in the band included producing, contributing lead and backing vocals, and art direction (for the album "There Is Nothing Left to Lose"). Grohl admitted to "60 Minutes" that "Taylor Hawkins is like the James Brown of the Foo Fighters. Because if anybody ever makes a mistake, he shoots them a glance."He also drummed and sang for the side-project trio Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders, which released three albums between 2006-2019. Their second album, "Red Light Fever," featured as guest artist Roger Taylor. Hawkins has won 11 Grammy Awards, with 26 nominations. He also costarred in the Foo Fighters' recent comic-horror film, "Studio 666," in which a possessed Grohl murders his bandmates. Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters performs in Geelong, Australia, March 4, 2022. | Paul Rovere/The Age/Fairfax Media via Getty Images

Hawkins, 50, was found dead in the hotel room where he had been staying in Bogota, Colombia, where the band was on tour. The hotel where Hawkins was staying has drawn a large memorial of candles, messages, and flowers from mourning fans.

An official cause of death has not yet been released, but a statement from Colombia's Prosecutor's Office said Hawkins had 10 psychoactive substances in his system at the time of his passing, including marijuana, opioids, tricyclic antidepressants, and benzodiazepines.

Hawkins was born Feb. 17, 1972 in Fort Worth, Texas, but his family moved in 1976 to Laguna Beach, where he grew up and graduated from Laguna Beach High School in 1990.

He started out playing for the Orange County-based band Sylvia before becoming the drummer for Canadian rock singer Sass Jordan. From June 1995 until March 1997, Hawkins was Alanis Morissette's drummer on the tour supporting her 1995 album "Jagged Little Pill" and her 1996 "Can't Not" Tour. He took the place of William Goldsmith on Foo Fighters' second album, "The Colour and the Shape," and when frontman Dave Grohl asked him for a recommendation for a new drummer, Hawkins volunteered himself. Hawkins officially joined the Foo Fighters as its new drummer in 1997.

Hawkins is survived by his wife, Alison, and their three children.

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