Foo Fighters cancel their upcoming Grammys performance after the death of Taylor Hawkins.
After the drummer’s death, the band canceled their entire tour, but the Grammy performance was still up in the air. Today a representative for the band confirmed that they would not be playing at the Grammys this weekend in Las Vegas. CBS executive Jack Sussman told Variety that a tribute to Taylor Hawkins is planned.
“We want to figure out what is the right thing to do that is respectful to everyone involved. We’re patient. We’ll be planning right up until the very end,” Sussman says of the tribute. It’s not clear if the Foo Fighters will be on stage to participate in the tribute.
“We’re sorry for and share in the disappointment that we won’t be seeing one another as planned,” the band wrote in a statement to fans after announcing Hawkins’ death. “Instead, let’s take this time to grieve, to heal, to pull our loved ones close, and to appreciate all the music and memories we’ve made together.”
Taylor Hawkins was 50 years old when he died on March 25 at a hotel in Colombia. The Foo Fighters were in South America to play a festival gig. According to Colombian authorities, the drummer was found unresponsive with multiple drugs in his system. Hawkins also suffered from an enlarged heart, though the cause of death has not been determined.
The Foo Fighters have won 12 Grammy Awards, and they’ve received 31 nominations. This year the rock band is up for three, including ‘Best Rock Album,’ ‘Best Rock Song,’ and ‘Best Rock Performance.’ Their most successful performance at the Grammys was in 2012. The Foo Fighters won five of the six awards for which they were nominated. They lost Album of the Year to Adele’s 21 that year.
Analysts believe the Foo Fighters are the front-runners for at least two of the awards they’re nominated for this year. They’re favored to take home ‘Best Rock Performance’ for the song “Making a Fire” and ‘Best Rock Album’ for Medicine at Midnight. Paul McCartney’s “Find My Way” is favored for ‘Best Rock Song’ over the Foo Fighters’ “Waiting on a War.”