Mr. Hawkins had joined Foo Fighters in 1997, after a stint with Alanis Morissette, and was perhaps the group’s best-known figure after its leader, singer and guitarist Dave Grohl. In a 2021 memoir, Grohl — a former drummer with Nirvana — described Mr. Hawkins as his “best friend” and “a man for whom I would take a bullet.”
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“Upon first meeting, our bond was immediate, and we grew closer with every day, every song, every note that we ever played together,” Grohl wrote.
Mr. Hawkins often appeared in Foo Fighters videos, including the video for the band’s 1997 hit “Everlong,” although he had not yet joined the band when the original recording of the song was made. He did play on such hit songs as “My Hero” and “Best of You” and sometimes stepped out front to sing, with Grohl playing drums behind him.
Oliver Taylor Hawkins was born Feb. 17, 1972, in Fort Worth and grew up in Southern California. He worked in local bands before working with Canadian singer Sass Jordan and later with Morissette.
Grohl invited him to join Foo Fighters after the band’s original drummer, William Goldsmith, left the band.