Just a few weeks after it was announced that he would be unable to join The Rolling Stones on the North American leg of their Stones No Filter tour due to an unspecified medical procedure, legendary drummer Charlie Watts has reportedly passed away at the age of 80.
The drummer’s publicist confirmed the news and released the following statement: “It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts. He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family. 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.We kindly request that the privacy of his family, band members and close friends is respected at this difficult time.’’
The cause of Watts’s death is unclear at the moment, but The Sun reports that he underwent an emergency heart operation several weeks ago. The “successful procedure” reportedly took place in London after a problem was discovered during a routine check-up. In 2004, Watts was diagnosed with throat cancer.
Watts joined the Stones in January 1963, and his quiet, laidback presence often stood in contrast to his more famously debaucherous bandmates. The drummer once did let his temper get the best of him, however, punching Mick Jagger in the face for referring to him as “my drummer,” hitting him so hard he “fell back onto a silver platter of smoked salmon on the table.”
Stay tuned for more information as we get it.
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