Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts has died at age 80, just weeks after pulling out of the legendary band’s U.S. tour following an emergency operation.
Watts, whose virtuoso stylings ranged from jazz to hard-driving rock and roll, “passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family,” his publicist Bernard Doherty said in a statement.
“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,” Doherty said.
Watts announced earlier this month he would not join the Stones’ No Filter tour in 2021 because an undefined medical procedure led to a longer than expected recovery.
“For once my timing has been a little off. I am working hard to get fully fit, but I have today accepted on the advice of the experts that this will take a while,” Watts said in a statement.
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