Taylor Hawkins Honored in Laguna Beach Drum Circle Tribute
Taylor Hawkins' death last Friday (March 25) took the whole world by surprise, and there've been an abundance of tributes pouring in from all over to honor him. A group of fans and friends held a drum circle vigil in honor of the iconic drummer in Laguna Beach last night (March 31).
According to the Orange County Register, the tribute was organized by local radio station KX FM. A group of people gathered around a bonfire, played music and wrote messages to the Foo Fighter on a memorial.
"He was just the most genuine, positive, respectful person you could imagine,” one of Hawkins' peers at Laguna Beach High School, James Pribram, told the Register. Pribram recalled reconnecting with the drummer after he purchased a home nearby, and that he never acted like he was a big rock star. "That’s why he was so beloved by many, he resonated with everybody.”
See a clip from the ceremony below.
Though Hawkins was originally born in Fort Worth, Texas, his family relocated to Laguna Beach a few years later, so he spent his youth growing up in the California town. As a teenager, he took up surfing in the area, though he later admitted he wasn't great at it.
"I think it was the summer of ’84/’85 when I was first just really learning to be able to stand up on a board. I’m not really a good surfer at all. I was never really that good. I was much more into playing drums, playing music and stuff," the rocker told Whalebone Magazine. "But that first feeling you get when you’re actually standing on a wave and you’re going down the line and it’s generating energy... you’re literally floating on water. I don’t think there’s anything like it."
The Foo Fighters announced that Hawkins had died just prior to their scheduled performance at the Festival Estero Picnic in Bogota, Colombia. The band has since canceled all of their upcoming tour dates, including a performance at the 2022 Grammy Awards ceremony. However, the show is expected to have a special tribute to Hawkins during Sunday's (April 3) proceedings at 8PM ET / PT on CBS.