Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts dies at age 80
View(s):Charlie Watts, the Rolling Stones’ drummer since the legendary rock group formed, has died at age 80, according to his London publicist, Bernard Doherty.
Doherty announced in a statement Tuesday morning: “It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts. He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family. Charlie was a cherished husband, father and grandfather and also as a member of the Rolling Stones one of the greatest drummers of his generation. We kindly request that the privacy of his family, band members and close friends is respected at this difficult time.” The statement was later shared by the Stones’ official Twitter account.
The news comes after Watts underwent an undisclosed medical procedure earlier this month. At that time, a spokesperson for the band said the procedure had been “completely successful,” but it was unlikely that Watts would participate in the Stones’ rescheduled, 13-date “No Filter” fall U.S. tour because he needed “proper rest and recuperation.”
Charles Robert “Charlie” Watts was born in Bloomsbury, London, on June 2, 1941, and he started drumming around age 13 after he was inspired by a recording of Chico Hamilton playing Gerry Mulligan. His first drum was actually a banjo head that he played with brushes; in 1955, his parents bought him his first real drum kit, and he practiced by playing along to his beloved Charlie Parker and Duke Ellington records, never taking actual lessons. Three years later, Watts began his professional musical career in a jazz band called the Jo Jones All Stars.
Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have paid tribute to their bandmate Charlie Watts, following the death of the Rolling Stones drummer.
In posts on Twitter and Instagram, singer Sir Mick shared a photograph of Watts smiling while seated behind a drum kit.
Guitarist Richards also took to social media to share a picture of a set of drums with a “closed” sign on them.
Watts died aged 80 in a London hospital on Tuesday, the band’s publicist said.
The news came weeks after it was announced that he would miss the Rolling Stones’ US tour starting next month to recover from an unspecified medical procedure. Watts was previously treated for throat cancer in 2004.