Charlie Watts

Born in London, England on June 2, 1941, Charlie Watts was the longtime drummer for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees the Rolling Stones. Initially a jazz drummer, he became involved with the British blues scene in 1962 when he joined Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated. The following year, he bcame a founding member of the Rolling Stones alongside vocalist Mick Jagger, guitarists Brian Jones and Keith Richards, and bassist Bill Wyman. For nearly six decades, the drummer remained loyal to one of the greatest rock groups, participating in the recording of all albums, the design of the covers and the decor of the tours. At the same time, Charlie Watts accompanied Stones members on their solo ventures. He played on other artists’ records as well, most notably London Howlin 'Wolf Sessions (1971) and Jamming with Edward (1972). In 1986, after Bill Wyman's Willie and the Poor Boys project, he recorded his first solo album, Live at Fulham Town Hall, under the name The Charlie Watts Orchestra. He also recorded four albums with his Charlie Watts Quintet - From One Charlie (1991) , A Tribute to Charlie Parker with Strings (1992), Warm & Tender (1993) and Long Ago & Far Away (1996) -mainly consisting of jazz covers. He teamed up with fellow jazz-loving rock drummer Jim Keltner on The Charlie Watts-Jim Keltner Project (2000). Charlie Watts then released the live album Watts at Scott's (2004) – credited to The Charlie Watts Tentet - before participating on German pianist Alex Zwingenberger’s live project The ABC & D of Boogie Woogie. His final solo project, Charlie Watts Meets the Danish Radio Big Band, was released in 2017. While The Rolling Stones had been preparing for their return to the stage for the first time in two years, a medical exam forces him to skip the tour due to a heart problem. Hospitalized in London, Charlie Watts died on August 24, 2021, at the age of 80.

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