Monday, December 30, 2024

RIP The Rock World Cries for Charlie Watts, 80, Famed Rolling Stones Drummer

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Charlie Watts had the longest marriage, lived the best life, and was the standard bearer for The Rolling Stones. He has died at age 80. The rock world mourns the loss.

Bernard Doherty, Charlie’s PR guy, said Tuesday that Watts “passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family.”

Doherty said: “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.”

Watts had pulled out of the Stones next tour after having a surgical procedure. He said on Twitter that he felt his timing was off, but expected to recover from whatever was ailing him.

Steve Jordan is replacing him as the Stones’ drummer but no one can really ever replace him. Charlie was the heart and soul of the Stones. With his exit, we are down to two original members, Mick and Keith.

Charlie married Shirley Ann Shepherd in 1964. They have a daughter, a grandaughter, and a step-grandson. They lived a grand life, but he was never like the other Stones. Watts was a family man, and a serious musician. What a shame.

Steve van Zandt Tweeted: “Oh no! This is terribly shocking. Not just one of greatest drummers in one of the greatest bands of all time, but a gentleman’s gentleman. He singlehandedly brought the Rock world some real class. Rock and Roll will miss him profoundly. We are significantly less without him.”

 

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Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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