Joan Jett pays emotional tribute to Taylor Hawkins on stage
Joan Jett has joined the long line of musicians paying tribute to the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins – watch her on-stage tribute below.
On Friday night (March 25), Foo Fighters issued a statement confirming that the 50-year-old drummer had died in Bogotá, Colombia. A cause of death was not given. “The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of Taylor Hawkins,” it read.
A host of artists have dedicated performances and songs over the weekend to the late drummer, including Coldplay, who dedicated a song to Hawkins at a gig in Mexico on Friday, and Miley Cyrus, who played her Lollapalooza set in his honour.
Elsewhere, Liam Gallagher dedicated a performance of Oasis‘ ‘Live Forever’ to Taylor Hawkins at his Teenage Cancer Trust show at London’s Royal Albert Hall, while Elton John, Slash, Wolfgang Van Halen and many more have also paid their respects.
During her set at the Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival in Georgia on Saturday (March 26), Jett paid tribute to “one of the greatest drummers of our time” and added: “The [Foo Fighters] and Taylor are good friends of ours. And I can’t even tell you what it means to all of us.
“So this next song is for him. But really, all of you take it to heart — it’s true for everybody: life is very fragile. One moment you’re here and the next you’re gone.”
Watch the tribute below.
Joan Jett’s tribute to the late Taylor Hawkins. She is close to the Foo Fighters and has opened for them on tour. She also fronted Nirvana for their induction into the Rock hall of fame. The song is titled… Fragile. Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival. Atlanta GA 3/26/22 ?
Posted by Robert Whitman on Sunday, March 27, 2022
Hawkins was found in his hotel room in the Colombian capital hours before Foo Fighters were set to headline a festival in the city as part of a South American tour.
Following his death, Colombia’s attorney general’s office and the National Institute of Forensic Medicine revealed that a preliminary toxicology test had found that multiple drugs, including opiates, antidepressants and marijuana, were in Hawkins’ system at the time of his death.
- READ MORE: Soundtrack Of My Life: Taylor Hawkins
A statement added that emergency services were called after a patient complained of chest pains. When they arrived, they attempted to resuscitate the drummer but were unsuccessful, and he was declared dead at the scene.
The band had been on tour in South America, and were due to play Festival Estero Picnic in Bogotá on the night of Hawkins’ death. His last show with the band was a headlining set at Lollapalooza Argentina on March 22.
Following the news of his passing, fans have taken to social media to share footage of Hawkins performing for the last time at the festival.