‘Everlong’ Was the Last Song Taylor Hawkins Played Before His Death

There are a lot of rock bands to spring from Seattle music culture, but few are more beloved and enduring than Foo Fighters. Initially formed as a solo project by Dave Grohl, the former drummer for the iconic band Nirvana, Foo Fighters eventually became a fully-formed band with members Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, Rami Jaffee, and Taylor Hawkins. Foo Fighters quickly gained a reputation as a classic rock band with heart – and helmed by Grohl, the band has stuck together since 1994. After Hawkins’ untimely death in the spring of 2022, many fans are examining the drummer’s last days and the final show he played. Notably, the very last song that Hawkins played for the Foo Fighters’ fans is one of the band’s biggest hits, “Everlong,” released in 1997.

‘Everlong’ is one of the most popular songs by the Foo Fighters

The Foo Fighters had only been writing songs as a group for a few years when the band penned “Everlong.” The song was included on the band’s 1997 album The Colour and the Shape and quickly became a hit, making it to number three on the U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs chart, according to Variety. It became one of Foo Fighters’ signature songs, selling 2 million units and remaining a staple of its catalog to this day.

According to a May 2022 video from Radio X on YouTube, “Everlong” has over 220 million views on YouTube and over 620 million streams on Spotify. The song is notable for another reason as well – one that endears “Everlong” to Foo Fighters fans in a big way.

‘Everlong’ was the long song that Taylor Hawkins played before his untimely death

For years, “Everlong” has been the traditional closing song for any live Foo Fighters show. Fans love the celebration of rock and relish singing along with the band. “Everlong” would ultimately become the last song that drummer Taylor Hawkins would play in public. According to Rolling Stone, Hawkins’ final concert was at Lollapalooza Argentina on March 20, 2022, a show that took place just five days before his untimely and tragic death.

The publication reports that Hawkins seemed in fine form during the show, singing a cover version of Queen’s “Somebody to Love” and enthusiastically playing drums on other classic Foo Fighters songs before rendering an emotional performance of “Everlong.” Sadly, Hawkins would pass away unexpectedly on March 25. In the wake of his death, the Foo Fighters canceled all remaining tour dates and released a statement that expressed the group’s profound sadness at the loss of Hawkins.

How are the remaining band members honoring Taylor Hawkins?

In June 2022, after several months of mourning, the Foo Fighters released a statement announcing that they would be hosting two separate tribute concerts to honor Taylor Hawkins’ memory. “Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear and Rami Jaffee will come together with the Hawkins family to celebrate the life, music and love of their husband, father, brother and bandmate with The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts,” the statement said, noting that a multitude of popular rock artists would be lending their talents to the tribute shows.

With both shows scheduled to take place in September, one in London and one in Los Angeles, fans will undoubtedly hear more about the shows in the days and weeks to come. For those who love the music of the Foo Fighters, Hawkins’ memory will live on for decades – with many praising him as one of the all-time great rock drummers.