PAUL MCCARTNEY Pays Tribute To TAYLOR HAWKINS: 'His Personality Was Big And Shiny'

Paul McCartney has paid tribute to FOO FIGHTERS drummer Taylor Hawkins who died last Friday (March 25) at the age of 50.

Earlier today, THE BEATLES legend took to his social media to write: "Taylor's sudden death came as a shock to me and the people who knew and loved him. Not only was he a GREAT drummer but his personality was big and shiny and will be sorely missed by all who were lucky to live and work alongside him.

"I was asked by the FOO FIGHTERS to play on one of their tracks," he continued. "It turned out that they wanted me to play drums! - on one of Taylor's songs. This request came from a group with TWO amazing drummers! It was an incredible session and cemented my relationship with Taylor and the guys. Later they asked if I would induct them into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. I sang with them on 'Get Back'. Taylor provided a powerhouse drum part. I'll never forget that night. All of which made it much more of a desperately sad shock to hear he had died.

"So thanks Taylor for sharing some glorious minutes with me. You were a true Rock and Roll hero and will always remain in my heart. God bless his family and band - Love Paul X".

Hawkins died at a hotel in Bogota, Colombia. Local officials said an ambulance was sent to the hotel after a man reported having chest pains. The FOO FIGHTERS drummer did not respond to resuscitation efforts and was declared dead, the city's health department said.

On Saturday, the Colombian attorney general's office announced that Hawkins had opioids, marijuana and other drugs in his system before he died. A toxicology report showed traces of 10 substances in his body, including anti-depressants, the office said. The statement added that the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences "will conduct the necessary medical studies to ascertain the cause of death" and that it "will continue the investigation and will report the results obtained within the framework thereof in a timely manner."

FOO FIGHTERS announced Hawkins's death on their Instagram account. "The FOO FIGHTERS family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins," the announcement read. "His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever. Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family, and we ask that their privacy be treated with the utmost respect in this unimaginably difficult time."

The FOO FIGHTERS were scheduled to perform Friday at the Picnic Stereo festival in Bogota but their performance was canceled.

The band played Lollapalooza Chile on March 18 and Lollapalooza Argentina on March 20. They were scheduled to headline Lollapalooza Brasil on Sunday (March 27).

Hawkins has been open about his history of drug use. He overdosed on heroin in 2001 and spent a week in a coma, just four years after joining the FOO FIGHTERS.