The music world is grieving with the shock news that Taylor Hawkins, drummer for rock brand Foo Fighters, has died at the age of 50.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 16: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been converted to black and white.) Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters performs onstage at the after party for the Los Angeles premiere of “Studio 666” at the Fonda Theatre on February 16, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)

Hawkins and his fellow Foo Fighters members including lead singer Dave Grohl had just left Argentina where they had performed at the local Lollapalooza Argentina festival and were scheduled to continue their South American tour with a show in Colombia’s Bogotá on Friday night. According to reports, police and ambulances arrived at the Bogotá hotel where Hawkins and his fellow musicians were staying.

No official cause of death has been released, and nor have local authorities in Colombia released a statement concerning the circumstances of the drummer’s death.

A statement was released on the band’s official Twitter, stating they were “devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins

“His musical spirit  and infectious laughter will live on with us all 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 first joined the rock band in 1997 after a period of touring with fellow ’90s powerhouse Alanis Morisette. After making his debut on the band’s second album, The Color And The Shape, Hawkins was cemented as bona fide member and integral the line-up after the Grammy-winning 2001 album There’s Nothing Left To Lose where was also given writing credits.

Fellow musicians and celebrities have taken to social media to farewell the iconic rock star, including the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, punk legend Billy Idol and Pitch Perfect actor Adam Devine.

Fellow drumming legend Ringo Starr from The Beatles also posted his condolences about Hawkins’ passing on Twitter.

Investigations into the cause of Hawkins’ death are continuing as friends and family share in the grief of the loss of one of the industry’s greatest.

More to come.

Foo Fighters Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins photographed in Covent Garden in 2005 (Photo by Andy Willsher/Redferns/Getty Images)

UPDATED:

Colombian authorities have confirmed in a preliminary report that the 50-year-old Hawkins had approximately 10 psychoactive substances in his system at the time of death. This included benzodiazepines and opioids. The statement released did stress however that this does not suggest cause of death and the investigation is ongoing.