The Rolling Stones lost their legendary drummer Charlie Watts a year ago this week on August 24th, 2021 at the age of 80 from cancer. Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood posted tributes on the group’s social accounts.
Jagger's post features a video of photos of he and Charlie set to their 1974 classic "Till the Next Goodbye." At the end, Jagger discussed Watts, saying, "I miss Charlie because he had a great sense of humor, and…outside of the band, we used to hang out quite a lot and have interesting times. We liked sports -- we'd go to football, we'd go to cricket games, and we would have other interests apart from music. But, you know, of course, I really miss Charlie so much."
Watts was survived by his wife of 57 years, Shirley Ann Shepherd, also their daughter Seraphina and granddaughter Charlotte. Charlie Watts played at every Rolling Stones show from the time he joined in 1963. He was also featured on all 25 albums The Stones have released.
Watts was mostly known as being the steady and quiet member of the legendary group compared to Jagger and Richards. Charlie later hid his addiction to alcohol and heroin in the mid 80’s, until he got clean and sober in 1986.
Watts was also a great jazz artist with his own group The Charlie Watts Orchestra. He went on to release nine more jazz albums through 2017.
Watts was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2004, even though he had given up smoking in the late 1980s. After undergoing radiation treatment he later rejoined the Stones for A Bigger Bang and then went on tour for two years. At the time he joked, "It seems that whenever we stop, I get ill. So maybe I should carry on."
Charlie’s last show with The Stones was August 30th, 2019 in Miami. The last song he played was "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." Watts is the third of the group’s members to pass after Brian Jones back in 1969 and piano player Ian Stewart who died in 1985.
With Charlie's blessing, The Rolling Stones continued on, touring with Steve Jordan, who was suggested by Charlie.
The late Charlie Watts once commented that it would be okay if The Stones did decide to call it quits, saying, "If it stopped tomorrow it wouldn't bother me particularly. I mean it could stop and that would be fine with me because I've had a good ride so far."
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[Source: Classic Hits Today]