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How did Taylor Hawkins die? Foo Fighters drummer, 50, once overdosed on heroin

Local news reports say Hawkins was found dead in a hotel room in Bogota, Colombia, where the band had been due to play at a festival

Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins has died at the age of 50. The unfortunate news of his untimely demise was shared by the official social media accounts of the renowned rock band. According to multiple reports, Hawkins was gearing up to perform in Bogota, Colombia on Friday night, March 25, before the band’s headlining set at Lollapalooza Brazil on Sunday, March 27. Hawkins is now survived by his wife, Alison, and three children namely Oliver Shane, Annabelle, and Everleigh.
 
The news of Taylor Hawkins’ death comes weeks after the legendary actor and comedian Louie Anderson died on January 21. He was admitted to the hospital days earlier after being diagnosed with cancer but sadly could not make it. Bob Saget is another icon that Hollywood lost on January 9. Speaking of celebrity deaths, Betty White died at 99 of natural causes on December 31, 2021. Chick Vennera, DMX, Jay Black, and Jeanette Maus are other public figures who passed away last year leaving their loyal fans devastated.
 
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How did Taylor Hawkins die?

The cause of Taylor Hawkins’ death has not been shared by the band and even the family has refrained from revealing the same, as of now. However, The Mirror reported that local news reports say Hawkins was found dead in a hotel room in Bogota, Colombia, where the band had been due to play at a festival. The band now won’t be performing at Festival Estéreo Picnic following the tragic loss of their beloved member.

Local reports said hotel staff called emergency services after Hawkins suffered chest pains but he was already dead by the time medical responders arrived.

The Metropolitan Police of Bogota said: 'The cause of death has yet to be established'. But added that initial talk from those close to him, 'the death could be related to the consumption of drugs'.

The official Instagram account of Foo Fighters did pay him a tribute with the help of an official statement that read, “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.”

Taylor Hawkins was born in Texas in 1972 but his family later moved to Laguna Beach, California when he was four. As a teenager, he first became the drummer for rock singer Sass Jordan, and later joined as the drummer for singer Alanis Morissette till 1997. Hawkins then joined Foo Fighters and later proved to be one of the key elements for their sound and image. He was also a singer and frequently took the mic during the band’s concerts. Hawkins once overdosed on heroin in 2001 which put him in a coma for two weeks. In an interview with Beats 1 host Matt Wilkinson in 2018, the iconic drummer shed light on the same saying, “I was partying a lot. I wasn't a junkie per se, but I was partying. There was a year where the partying just got a little too heavy. Thank God on some level this guy gave me the wrong line with the wrong thing one night and I woke up going, 'What the f**k happened?' That was a real changing point for me, as reported by NME. The Foo Fighters were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021. Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, and Rami Jaffeea are the current members of the band. William Goldsmith and Franz Stahl were some of the earlier members.

‘Can't imagine what Dave and the guys are going through’

Social media users could not believe the news of Hawkins passing away was true as many were left stunned. “Ahhhhh f**k. Nooo. Cold Day in the Sun is as good as music gets”, said one user as another posted, “No. No I don’t understand. Is this some kind of sick joke? Has someone hacked their account?” One user shared, “I just cant.. no words.  Can't imagine what Dave and the guys are going through. Brothers. Rest easy Taylor.”
 
One individual added, “Like every @foofighters fan, devastated by the untimely death of Taylor Hawkins. Great drummer and example of a human being. He will be missed in the music business and his legacy will live on forever.” Another asked, “WTF KILLED HIM??” as, another concluded, “I am absolutely stunned by the news of the passing of Taylor Hawkins. His drumming for the Foo Fighters has been an indelible part of my music life since I was a small child. Some of the most memorable drumming I've ever heard. Rest in peace.”