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entertainment Charlie Watts, the Rolling Stones’ Drummer and Inimitable Backbone, Dead at 80

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Charlie Watts, the Rolling Stones’ Drummer and Inimitable Backbone, Dead at 80

Charles Robert “Charlie” Watts, the Rolling Stones drummer, has died. He was 80.

Watts’ publicist confirmed his death in a statement. “It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts,” it read. “He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family.” The statement referred to Watts as “one of the greatest drummers of his generation” and closed by requesting that “the privacy of his family, band members, and close friends is respected at this difficult time.”

Watts’ death comes several weeks after it was announced that the drummer would not be able to partake in the Rolling Stones’ No Filter tour of U.S. stadiums. “Charlie has had a procedure which was completely successful, but his doctors this week concluded that he now needs proper rest and recuperation,” a rep for the band said in a statement at the time. “With rehearsals starting in a couple of weeks it’s very disappointing to say the least, but it’s also fair to say no one saw this coming.”

His light touch, singular rhythmic sense, and impeccable feel, as heard on canonical rock songs such as “Paint It, Black,” “Gimme Shelter” and “Brown Sugar,” made him both the engine that powered the Stones’ music and one of the most famous and respected drummers of all time.

As Keith Richards said in 1979, “Everybody thinks Mick and Keith are the Rolling Stones. If Charlie wasn’t doing what he’s doing on drums, that wouldn’t be true at all. You’d find out that Charlie Watts IS the Stones.”

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/...tts-rolling-stones-drummer-dead-obit-1161926/

 
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Charlie had one helluva life .. RIP Charlie
 
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Not since the passing of John Bonham have I been so bummed out by the death of someone (John & Charlie) I did not know. In both cases, I had/have tickets in hand for an upcoming concert. Just imagine the music being made on the other side from all the talent throughout history...a large band playing and singing music of the highest caliber. I've got no doubt Hendrix is in charge of the guitar section!

I've never read this story about Charlie before:

For all of his low-key skill behind the kit, Watts seemed well aware that he was an irreplaceable element of the Stones’ sound. As one famous story from the band’s heyday goes, Jagger once phoned Watts’ hotel room in the midst of an all-night party, asking, “Where’s my drummer?” Watts reportedly got up, shaved, dressed in a suit, put on a tie and freshly shined shoes, descended the stairs, and punched Jagger in the face, saying, “Don’t ever call me your drummer again. You’re my fucking singer!”
 
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