Tributes Pour In From Mick Jagger, Ringo Starr, Brian May And More

Topline

Mick Jagger, Ringo Starr, Ozzy Osbourne and other rock stars paid tribute to Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died at age 50 on Friday while on tour in South America, according to a statement from the band.

Key Facts

Mick Jagger, lead singer of the Rolling Stones, said in a tweet he is “so incredibly sad” to hear of Hawkins’ passing.

Beatles drummer Ringo Starr wrote in a tweet, “God bless Taylor peace and love to all his family and the band,” with several emojis.

Queen guitarist Brian May, one of Hawkins’ favorite bands, shared an Instagram post, writing “Taylor, you were family to us. Our friend, our brother, our beloved child.”

Singer Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath wrote in a tweet Hawkins “was truly a great person and an amazing musician.”

Axl Rose, frontman of Guns N’ Roses, said in a Twitter post Hawkins “was a really great guy, drummer n’ family man.”

Miley Cyrus, who is scheduled to perform at Lollapalooza Brasil, where the Foo Fighters were also scheduled to play, said on Instagram she would dedicate her performance in São Paulo to Hawkins.

Liam Gallagher, frontman of Oasis, said he was “absolutely devastated to hear the sad news about Taylor Hawkins” on Twitter.

Billy Idol shared a photo of Hawkins on Twitter, writing that Hawkins’ death was “so tragic.

Crucial Quote

Travis Barker, drummer of Blink-182, said he has the best memories of touring with the Foo Fighters. “I’ll never forget Laguna Beach days when I was a trash man playing in a punk rock band and you were playing with Alanis,” Barker wrote in an Instagram post. “You’d come watch me play in dive bars and be like, ‘kid you’re a star.’ And I thought you were crazy but you gave me so much hope and determination.”

Key Background

The Foo Fighters said they were mourning the “tragic and untimely loss” of Hawkins in a statement late Friday. The band was scheduled to perform Friday in Bogotá for the Festival Estereo Picnic, with the performance canceled minutes before it was slated to start, according to CNN. Hawkins, who previously played in Alanis Morrisette’s band, joined the Foo Fighters three years after former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl assembled it. “When you have a drummer like Taylor Hawkins in your band, I don’t necessarily miss being the drummer — because I have the greatest drummer in the world,” Grohl said in an interview with Anderson Cooper in 2014.

What We Don’t Know

Hawkins’ cause of death has not been shared.

Further Reading

Foo Fighters Drummer Taylor Hawkins Dead At 50 (Forbes)