Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins has died, according to a statement from the band. He was 50 years old.

The band announced the news in a statement on social media on March 25. “The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of Taylor Hawkins,” it 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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Born in Dallas, Texas on February 17, 1972, Taylor Hawkins played in the experimental band Sylvia before playing drums on Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill and Can’t Not tours. Hawkins officially joined the Foo Fighters in 1997, replacing their original drummer William Goldsmith.

Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters – Chris Shiflett, Taylor Hawkins and Dave Grohl – photographed in 1997. Image: Martyn Goodacre / Getty Images

Hawkins also kept busy with many side projects. He had led Taylor Hawkins & the Coattail Riders as drummer and vocalist since the 2000s and in 2014 formed the side project The Birds of Satan, which was itself a spin-off the cover band Chevy Metal.

Most recently, Hawkins teamed up with Jane’s Addiction’s Dave Navarro and Chris Chaney to form the trio NHC. Earlier this year, they released the EP Intakes & Outtakes.

Taylor Hawkins playing Bottlerock Napa Valley 2019 in Chevy Metal
Taylor Hawkins playing Bottlerock Napa Valley in 2019 in the cover band Chevy Metal. Image: Jim Bennett / Getty Images

The Foo Fighters were on tour in South America at the time of Hawkins’ death. The drummer’s final show with the band was the headlining slot at Lollapalooza Argentina in Buenos Aires on March 20.

Hawkins died before Foo Fighters could perform at Festival Estero Picnic in Bogotá, Colombia on March 25. Lit candles were placed on the festival’s stage in his honour:

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A preliminary “forensic medical study” released by the Colombia’s Attorney General’s Office said that 10 substances were found in Hawkins’ body, including THC, tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines and opioids, CNN reported.

The report continued: “The National Institute of Forensic Medicine continues the medical studies to achieve total clarification of the events that led to the death of Taylor Hawkins” and that attorney general’s office would continue to investigate the cause of Hawkins’ death in a “timely manner.”

Tributes have flowed in for Hawkins. Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello shared a photo of himself, Hawkins and Jane’s Addiction’s Perry Farrell, writing: “God bless you Taylor Hawkins. I loved your spirit and your unstoppable rock power. Rest In Peace my friend.”

Queen guitarist Brian May expressed his disbelief at Hawkins’ passing: “No. It cannot be. Heartbroken. Taylor, you were family to us. Our friend, our brother, our beloved child. Bless you. We will miss you so bad.”

Ozzy Osbourne also shared a tribute for the “amazing musician”.

Sam Fender, who was playing a show in Glasgow on March 26, took to Twitter to announce that the show would be dedicated to the drummer. “Glasgow tonight. This one’s for Taylor‘, he wrote, sharing an image of his drummer sat behind a kit emblazoned with Hawkins’ name.

Read more tributes to Hawkins below.