Legendary The Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts died at age 80 on this date in 2021. Watts is regarded among the most talented drummers of all time and his undeniable influence is a cornerstone of rock ‘n’ roll.
Born in London in 1941, Watts began playing drums as a teen, showing interest initially in jazz. Watts joined Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated in 1961, whose lineup included future The Rolling Stones members Brian Jones and Ian Stewart. After meeting Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Watts was recruited to join The Stones for a concert on January 12, 1963, and soon became a permanent member of the legendary group. Watts remained behind the kit for The Rolling Stones through a final performance on August 30, 2019, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Over the course of Watts and The Stones’ career, they released such now-classic songs as “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “Paint It Black,” “The Last Time,” “Sympathy For The Devil,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “Brown Sugar,” “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and “Honky Tonk Women,” and landmark albums like 1969’s Let It Bleed, 1971’s Sticky Fingers, 1972’s Exile On Main St., 1980’s Emotional Rescue and 1981’s Tattoo You. Watts’ contributed to The Rolling Stones’ most recent studio album, 2016’s blues covers LP, Blue & Lonesome.
Today, Jagger shared a video montage backed by The Stones’ song “Till The Next Goodbye” comprised of photos of the frontman and his longtime bandmate and friend. Jagger can be heard sharing memories of Watts, in which he states:
“You know, I miss Charlie because he had a great sense of humor. We also worked outside of the band. We used to hang out quite a lot, and have interesting times going – we liked sports. We’d go to football. We’d go to cricket games. And we would have other interests apart from just music. But, of course, I really miss Charlie so much.”
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To mark the anniversary of Watts’ passing, below is a set of videos recorded for the Martin Scorsese-directed concert film, Shine A Light, which was issued in 2008. Performing in 2006 at New York City’s Beacon Theatre, the footage centers on Watts via cameras primarily focused on the drummer. The clips showcase Watts’ signature patterns on “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “All Down The Line,” “Some Girls” and “Far Away Eyes.” Scroll on to watch the Charlie Watts drum cam videos:
