I suppose the Stones may be regarded as the top rock band of all time. They should be. At 80 years old, he finished the European leg of their current tour. But, he couldn’t make the US leg.
What can you say? They started my life of loving Rock and Roll in the sixties and I wore my sisters records out. They were a part of most of my whole life. All of the fun times with friends and finding weed. Just like Charlie, I still roll the same way as always.
I only saw them once, live, around 93, in North Carolina. It was worth it, regardless of our seats. $50 only got you into the general admission and not the best seats but they had screens so large nothing was missed.
RIP brother man! That was a hell of a run for a rocker; 50 years, same band!
Saw them on the Steel Wheels tour… Not my favorite band, but was an awesome show. Hard to deny that they’ve been a forming force in the evolution of Rock and Roll. And ya can’t deny that Charlie was one of the best dressed rockers…
RIP Charlie Watts. He always looked sharp and delivered the smooth groove.
As Richards recalled, Jagger and he were drunk in Amsterdam and came back to the hotel early in the morning, and Jagger called Watts. “He said something on the phone like ‘Where’s my drummer?’” Richards said.
Later, there was a knock on the door, “and there’s Charlie, dressed in A Savile Row suit, tie, hair done, shaved, cologne. He walks across to Mick, grabs him and says, ‘Never call me your drummer again.’” Then Watts hit Jagger with a right hook, said Richards.
Some recollections of the event have Watts adding, “You’re my (expletive) singer.”
“I always thought it was a laugh-out-loud joke on rock ‘n’ roll that its best and most widely respected drummer was an abiding, committed and knowledgeable jazz hound.”
from article below;
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Being a jazz hound myself, I found myself compelled to post this
Charlie was T-H-E heart and soul of The Stones!!! With a Jazz and Blues background, he played Rock like no Drummer before OR since!!!.Some of his “Intro Beats” have never been duplicated…NEVER!!! He was a pure Jazzman. Hearing/seeing their early Gigs at the Old Crawdaddy Club in London, “Priceless” He was as exactly the opposite of a “Rocker” as you’d fine. Keith had always said The Stones would NEVER tour without Charlie. I think they knew Charlie was dying, that’s WHY they’re touring, in his honor…opinion mine!! Indeed, RIP Charlie, "hit 'em wit da Downbeat!! SS/BW…mister
No cause was given specifically, only that he passed after a recent surgical procedure. He had survived throat cancer a while back, so, it may have been related to that. He actually did the European leg of the tour, from what I understand but decided no to do the US leg.
I was reading stuff about him yesterday somewhere, and he was a jazz musician first, and only hesitantly took the offer to play with the Stones. They hit the Billboard number 1 shortly after.
And, Not all that long ago he started another Jazz group while still with the stones. I can’t remember where I read all of that. Maybe from a google search for some images.
It’s really amazing that a band from my childhood stayed and played together for a half century now. And the rock drummer was 80 y.o. Once a rock and roller, always a rock and roller I guess. I know I’m still mostly the same person since I was a teen in regards to rock and blues music.
Rock In Peace Charlie. A true legend and he stuck firm with his Dads’ fashion sense from the 1930’s. Had the pleasure of a half dozen or so, concerts over the years, My favourite band and the smoothest beat man ever. What that man has seen and done…Cheers Charlie.
? rest in 
