R.I.P. to a legendary drummer in a legendary rock band.
A sad day - one of the true greats has left us
RIP, Charlie Watts - thanks for all the music & those great fills - as Keith once said, “Charlie Watts IS The Rolling Stones”
RIP
He was a rock back there (no pun intended).
Tough news to hear on a never-ending rainy, Covid saturated day.
Beyond just being a drummer, a player or even a rock star - Charlie Watts was just one of my favorite people in music. As no less than Ginger Baker once pointed out, "Charlie's the best musician in that band!" A few years ago (90's maybe) the "Stones actually based themselves out of my old home town of Birmingham, AL. They did this so that they could film the interview segments for the documentary, "25 X 5" in a local production studio. A friend actually ran into Charlie at the Birmingham Museum of Art. He recognized Charlie instantly and asked him if he was the famous drummer. He said Charlie just smiled and said, "uh-huh", then commented on, "what a lovely museum you have here". He wasn't surrounded by body guards and entourage - just took a nice stroll over to the museum on an off-day afternoon. This is how I think of Charlie Watts.
Compared to the reputations (earned or invented for publicity) that the other 'Stones had, Charlie was something of an anomaly. The white Stone of the family, so to speak. Man, I'll miss this guy.
I knew it was only a matter of time until one of them passed but it is still a shock for me.
Will be curious if they continue to tour in the future after they finish this round of shows this tour
It's a very sad day. Thank you, Charlie, for all you gave. The Stones will never be the same, for me anyway.
I met around 20 years ago in Buenos Aires. He was having dinner with his wife after a day of shopping. it was a hotel lobby restaurant and he had no bodyguards. Gracious to a fault the guy was a sweetheart. RIP.
Charlie and Jaimoe were always loyal to the Gretsch mark through out their careers.
Very sad news indeed.
Decided to put on the BET Studio Jams show with Charlie and Chuck Leavell (among others). Smooth jazz delivered tastefully.
RIP Charlie.
"Is that a real poncho or is that a Sears poncho?"
They sure could draw a crowd!!! Sell it out anywhere in the world. I guess they are bigger than Green Day.
Charlie joined in 1963.
It would be interesting to see the figures. Certainly that longest lasting very famous rock band. They just may be bigger than Pink Floyd. Absolutely bigger than Van Halen, AC/DC, ZZ Top and Black Sabbath.
The Allman Brothers got very big in 1973 and 74 but not close to the popularity to the Rolling Stones. Heck the Stones are bigger than Marshall Tucker Band:)
RIP Charlie.
Great story OldDog.
"Raise your glass to the hard working people
Let's drink to the uncounted heads
Let's think of the wavering millions
Who needs leading, but get gamblers instead".
gutted. The Stones are my favorite band
Charlie speaks ... and dances. Charlie's pre-show warm-up routine and more!
@rusty Keith Richards said "Charlie Watts IS the Rolling Stones"!!
Watts was the drummer on all those Rolling Stones hits I heard on the radio from 1964 to the present. RIP Mr. Watts!!
just so theres no confusion at all. charlie doesn't play the drums on
you can always get what you want
it's only rock n roll
happy
shine a light
and part of tumbling dice
so it is possible you heard some hits on the radio watts wasn't on
@matt05 Not too much confusion. No, Charlie didn't play on everything the 'Stones did. There were several songs along the way that featured only Mick and/or Keith and whoever was in the room. I think "Miss You" started out as a skeleton crew song. Ringo didn't play on all the Beatles stuff. None of this matters as Charlie (like Ringo with the Beatles) was such an integral part of the band that it is difficult to think of the Rolling Stones without him. The only official drummer they ever had. I believe Keith said, "Charlie Watts was the Rolling Stones."
Just reading an excerpt from a book by Rush drummer the late Neil Peart. They were doing a show in Toronto and just before the show a shorter older man was walking toward Peart and his facial expression was 1. Who is this older man coming toward me? Then Peart's face is saying... 2. He is smiling with his hand out coming to me, what does he want? And finally a surprised face as....3. For God's sake IT IS CHARLIE WATTS!!" A man Peart so admired on The Ed Sullivan Show when Peart was just 12 years old.
Charlie Watts came back stage to meet and introduce himself to Neil Peart and it surprised Peart and was a big moment for him.
Great tribute to Charlie from the Stones organization:
https://twitter.com/RollingStones/status/1431274250984427525?s=20
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
