FOO FIGHTERS Drummer TAYLOR HAWKINS Dead At 50

FOO FIGHTERS drummer Taylor Hawkins has died at the age of 50.

The band confirmed his passing in a statement earlier tonight (Friday, March 25).

"The FOO FIGHTERS family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins," read the message. "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."

FOO FIGHTERS were on tour in South America at the time of Hawkins's death and were preparing to perform in Bogota, Colombia on Friday. That show has since been canceled.

Taylor's cause of death has not been revealed.

Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Hawkins joined FOO FIGHTERS in 1997. Prior to that, he played with the Orange County band SYLVIA and was also in the backing band for Sass Jordan. He also toured with Alanis Morissette as her drummer.

Hawkins was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame last year as a member of the FOO FIGHTERS.

Hawkins's most recent work with FOO FIGHTERS included last year's "Medicine At Midnight" album, a collection of BEE GEES covers and FOO FIGHTERS' horror film "Studio 666".

Hawkins's solo project TAYLOR HAWKINS AND THE COATTAIL RIDERS released its first album in 2006, and a follow-up effort, "Get The Money", in 2019. Other side projects included THE BIRDS OF SATAN and the classic rock cover band CHEVY METAL. More recently, he formed the supergroup NHC with JANE'S ADDICTION members Dave Navarro and Chris Chaney.

Hawkins spent two weeks in a coma in 2001 after overdosing in London. He later told Kerrang! magazine: "Everyone has their own path and I took it too far, adding that he once believed the "myth of live hard and fast, die young.

"I'm not here to preach about not doing drugs, because I loved doing drugs, but I just got out of control for a while and it almost got me," he said.

In a 2018 interview with Beats 1, he said: "There's no happy ending with hard drugs," but declined to elaborate on his sobriety. "I don't really discuss how I live my life in that regard," he said. "I have my system that works for me."

Hawkins is survived by his wife Alison, whom he married in 2005, and their three children: Oliver Shane, Annabelle and Everleigh.