Rolling Stones bandmates salute late drummer Charlie Watts. See their tributes.
By MIKE FULLER, Associated Press
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LONDON (AP) — Members of the Rolling Stones have saluted their unshakeable drummer Charlie Watts, who died Tuesday at the age of 80.
Mick Jagger, the legendary rock band’s frontman, posted a photo on Twitter of a smiling Watts seated behind a drum.
Lead guitarist Keith Richards shared a picture of a drum set with a hanging “Closed” sign.
Watts’ publicist announced Tuesday afternoon that the musician had “passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family.”
Guitarist Ronnie Wood posted a photo of himself and his late bandmate captioned “I love you my fellow Gemini – I will dearly miss you – you are the best.”
On the Rollingstones.com website, only a black-silhouetted portrait of Watts appeared.
Having joined the Stones in 1963, the drummer ranked just behind Jagger and Richards as the group’s longest lasting and most essential member.
Ramon Espinosa
FILE - Members of The Rolling Stones, from left, Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts, Keith Richards and Ron Wood pose for photos from their plan at Jose Marti international airport in Havana, Cuba on March 24, 2016. Watts' publicist, Bernard Doherty, said Watts passed away peacefully in a London hospital surrounded by his family on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. He was 80. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa File)
Watts was present throughout the band’s 30 studio albums, largely holding himself apart from the drug abuse, creative clashes and ego wars of rock ‘n’ roll.
He had previously announced he would not tour with the Stones in 2021 because of an undefined health issue. He was replaced by American musician Steve Jordan for the “No Filter” series of shows in the United States, due to begin in St. Louis on Sept. 26.
The 80-year-old’s death has drawn tributes from across the music industry, including from Paul McCartney, Elton John and Patti Smith. Fellow drummers praised the talent and influence, who also recorded jazz albums.
Watts is survived by his wife Shirley, sister Linda, daughter Seraphina and granddaughter Charlotte.
Anonymous
The Rolling Stones are shown during rehearsal on April 8, 1964 at an unknown location. The British band members, from left, are, Brian Jones, guitar; Bill Wyman, bass; Charlie Watts, drums; Mick Jagger, vocals; and Keith Richards, guitar. (AP Photo)
British rock and roll group The Rolling Stones arrive at Montreal Airport, April 22, 1965. They are Mick Jagger, top left, Charlie Watts, top right, Keith Richards, middle left, Brian Jones, middle right, and Bill Wyman. (AP Photo)
Four of the five members of the Rolling Stones, from left, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Keith Richards, and Brian Jones, are shown at a news conference on their arrival at JFK Airport in New York, January 1967. They will be joined by their lead singer, Mick Jagger who missed the plane in London, for their appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. (AP Photo)
Mick Jagger, center, lead singer of The Rolling Stones pop music group, dons a straw hat as he and guitarist Mick Taylor and drummer Charlie Watts, right in bow tie, during a press conference at the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, France on Sept. 22, 1970. The Rolling Stones will perform at three concerts in the French capital. (AP Photo)
Britain's Princess Diana, The Princess of Wales, shakes hands with Charlie Watts from the Rolling Stones at a reception at the Royal Albert Hall for the ARMS charity concert for Action into the Research for Multiple Sclerosis around Sept. 20, 1983. Also seen are Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones, left; Chris Stainton from Eric Clapton's band and Steve Winwood. (AP Photo)
The Rolling Stones arrive for a news conference in New York aboard the former presidential yacht, Honey Fitz on Tuesday, May 3, 1994. The band took a short boat ride before arriving at Pier 60 to announce the Voodoo Lounge World Tour that kicks off on August 1 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. L-R:: Keith Richards; Ronnie Wood; Mick Jagger; and Charlie Watts. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Charlie Watts, left, Mick Jagger,second from left, Ron Wood, and Keith Richards, right, of the Rolling Stones pose for a photo after a news conference Tuesday May 10, 2005 at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. The group announced their latest concert tour. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Members of the Rolling Stones pose for photographers after arriving for a news conference in Detroit Thursday, Feb. 2, 2006. The Rolling Stones will be the halftime entertainment at Super Bowl XL which features the AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks. From left: drummer Charlie Watts, guitarist Ron Wood, singer Mick Jagger, and guitarist Keith Richards.(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Director Martin Scorsese, center, poses with, from left, Ronnie Wood, Keith Richards, Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones at the premiere of "Shine A Light" featuring The Rolling Stones, at the Ziegfeld Theater, Sunday, March 30, 2008, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini)
Drummer of the Rolling Stones, Charlie Watts, smiles walks out the Trabend concert hall in Paris, Thursday Oct. 25, 2012. The Stones will play the venue Thursday evening. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
FILE - This Oct. 18, 2012 file photo shows, from left, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones at London Film Festival American Express Gala for their film, "The Rolling Stones - Crossfire Hurricane" at Odeon West End in London. The archetypal rock 'n' roll band is set for five concerts in London and the New York area over the next month, released another hits compilation with two new songs on Tuesday, Nov. 13, and will see HBO premiere a documentary on their formative years, "Crossfire Hurricane," on Thursday Nov. 15. Wyman was a member of the band until 1993. (Photo by Jon Furniss/Invision/AP, file)
Mick Jagger, from left, Ronnie Wood, Keith Richards, and Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones perform at Marcus Amphitheater on Tuesday, June 23, 2015, in Milwaukee. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Members of The Rolling Stones, from left, Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts, Keith Richards and Ron Wood arrive to Jose Marti international airport in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, March 24, 2016. The Stones are performing a free concert in Havana on Friday, becoming the most famous act to play Cuba since its 1959 revolution. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
FILE - Members of The Rolling Stones, from left, Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts, Keith Richards and Ron Wood pose for photos from their plan at Jose Marti international airport in Havana, Cuba on March 24, 2016. Watts' publicist, Bernard Doherty, said Watts passed away peacefully in a London hospital surrounded by his family on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. He was 80. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa File)
From left, Charlie Watts and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones perform the first concert of their 'No Filter' Europe Tour 2017 in Hamburg, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
FILE - Charlie Watts, of the Rolling Stones, poses for a portrait on Nov. 14, 2016, in New York. Watts will likely miss the band’s upcoming U.S. tour to allow him to recover from an unspecified medical procedure. A spokesperson for the musician said Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, the procedure was “completely successful” but that Watts needs time to recuperate. (Photo by Victoria Will/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - This Aug. 22, 2019 file photo shows, from left, Ron Wood, Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones performing in Pasadena, Calif. The band announced Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020, that they will kick off a 15-city leg of their No Filter tour beginning in May 2020 in San Diego. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
