How old is Oliver Hawkins? Taylor Hawkins’ son performs with Foo Fighters at dad’s tribute concert

The first set of tribute concerts for the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins was held on Saturday, September 3 at Wembley Arena. The tribute show featured star-drummers including Taylor Hawkins’ 16 year old son Oliver Shane Hawkins. Oliver Hawkins played the drums for Foo Fighters' 1997 classic hit My Hero, as per videos posted on social media.

While Oliver Hawkins’ played the drums, a slideshow of photographs of the young drummer and Taylor Hawkins played on a screen in the background to introduce him to the crowd.

Foo Fighters’ frontman Dave Grohl welcomed Shane to the stage. He said:

“We have one more drummer that's going to come up and play with us, and let me tell you, I don't think I've ever seen anyone hit the drums as hard as this person.”

He further added, noting:

“But beyond that, he's a member of our family. And he needs to be here tonight with all of us, and I think it makes sense that he's going to come up and play with us tonight. Ladies and gentlemen, would you please welcome Mr. Shane Hawkins on the drums.”

Also among the performers at the London tribute concert were Travis Barker, Josh Freese, Rufus Taylor, and Nandi Bushell, among others.

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Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl pays tribute to late drummer Taylor Hawkins

Foo Fighters’ frontman, who was also Hawkins’ best friend, Dave Grohl, also paid tribute to the late rockstar in a touching speech. Opening the concert, Grohl said:

"Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we've gathered here to celebrate the life, the music, and the love of our dear friend, our bandmate, our brother Taylor Hawkins."

An emotional Dave Grohl further added:

"For those of you who knew him personally, you know that no one else could make you smile or laugh or dance or sing like he could. And for those of you that admired him from afar, I'm sure you've all felt the same thing."

Later in the show, Grohl performed the band's classic Times Like These, and broke down in tears mid-performance while the audience continued to cheer him on to show their support.

The star-studded lineup at Taylor Hawkins’ concert also featured Liam Gallagher, Dave Chappelle, Stevie Nicks, Elton John, and Jason Sudeikis, who shared testimonials about Hawkins' impact. The next tribute concert for Hawkins will be held stateside at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on September 27.

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What happened to Taylor Hawkins?

Taylor Hawkins died in March at the age of 50. (Image via Instagram/@FooFighters)

Taylor Hawkins passed away at the age of 50 in March this year. The drummer was on tour with Foo Fighters in South America. The band were supposed to perform at the Festival Estereo Picnic in Bogota, Colombia on March 25.

The singer’s early toxicology reports suggested that he had 10 psychoactive substances in his system when he passed away. The Attorney General's Office of Colombia did not label Hawkins' death as an overdose. However, it noted that preliminary toxicology tests found marijuana, tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and opioids among the 10 substances in the artist’s system. The singer reportedly complained of chest pains before he passed away.

Hawkins was born in Fort Worth, Texas and relocated to California during his childhood. He gained popularity as a drummer when he toured with Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill tour in late 1990s. In 2005, Hawkins married long-time girlfriend Alison. Hawkins is also survived by their son, Oliver Shane, and two daughters, Annabelle and Everleigh.

Hawkins worked on eight Foo Fighters albums throughout his career. These included There Is Nothing Left to Lose (1999), One by One (2002), In Your Honor (2005), Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (2007), Wasting Light (2011), Sonic Highways (2014), Concrete and Gold (2017) and Medicine at Midnight (2021).