Charlie Watts Of The Rolling Stones Has Died At 80
It was announced earlier this month that Charlie Watts, founding member of The Rolling Stones and the band’s only drummer, would not be a part of the Stones’ upcoming tour because he needed time to recover from an unspecified medical procedure. Charlie was treated for throat cancer in 2004. And today, the band brought news that’s sadness wrapped in more sadness by announcing that Charlie Watts died today in London. He was 80.
The BBC says that Charlie died this morning at Royal Marsden Hospital in London with his wife of almost 57 years, Shirley Ann Shepherd, by his side. In its statement, The Rolling Stones mourned the loss of one of the world’s greatest drummers:
“It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts. He was a cherished husband, father and grandfather and one of the greatest drummers of his generation
He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today [Tuesday] surrounded by his family. We kindly request that the privacy of his family, band members and close friends is respected at this difficult time.”
Charlie Watts’ journey to becoming the legendary drummer he became started in 1955 when his parents gifted him with a drum kit at the age of 14. Charlie went to art school for a bit before getting a job as a graphic designer. By day, Charlie was a graphic designer, and by night, he played the drums with local bands. Charlie played with local jazz bands before joining Alexis Korner’s band Blues Incorporated in 1961. Apparently, after a Blues Incorporated performance one night in 1962, he met Keith Richards and Mick Jagger who was impressed by his drumming skills. A year later, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Brian Jones, and Bill Wyman became The Rolling Stones. And the rest is fucking history!
Charlie Watts was the heartbeat of The Rolling Stones and Rock & Roll….RIP 🙏pic.twitter.com/1PM0JVoRDX
— Wu-Tang Is For The Children (@WUTangKids) August 24, 2021
In 1989, Charlie was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Rolling Stones. And he was voted into Modern Drummer magazine’s Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2006. Charlie also kept his toe in his jazz roots and sometimes toured with his own group Charlie Watts Quartet.
He never ever missed a tour. Steve Jordan was named as Charlie’s sub drummer in The Rolling Stones’ upcoming tour, which is scheduled to start on September 26 in St. Louis, MO.
Charlie is the second Rolling Stones founding member who has died. Brian Jones died of drowning at the age of 27 in 1969. So that means the group’s surviving founding members include Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman (who left the group in 1993), and Keith Richards who will probably play the funeral of earth’s last-surviving cockroach.
Charlie is survived by Shirley, their daughter Seraphina, and two grandkids.
Rest in peace, Charlie Watts.
Pic: Wenn.com