Band members marked June 2 with tributes to their late drummer, Charlie Watts, who would have turned 84. The music world lost Watts on August 24, 2021, when he died of cancer at 80. He joined the Rolling Stones in 1963.
“The best husband, father, grandfather and friend anyone could wish for. And the hardest working man in showbiz!” read the band’s Instagram. The message was on top of footage of Watts performing the Exile on Main Street classic, “All Down the Line,” with the band.
Each Stone added personal Instagram touches. Mick Jagger shared a drumkit snapshot with warm wishes. Keith Richards posted pictures with birthday greetings, while Ronnie Wood chose a striking 1977 black-and-white shot.
Bill Wyman, who once played bass for the group, posted snapshots with his old bandmate. “I sorely miss my other rocking half,” he wrote. The timing fell just after Wood’s 78th birthday bash.
Watts left his mark on every Stones studio release. His final work lives on through Hackney Diamonds, a 2023 album featuring his drumming on two tracks, “Mess It Up” and “Live by the Sword.” He recorded both in 2019.
Before his passing, Watts picked Steve Jordan as his successor. Now Jordan keeps the beat as the Stones hit the road. Yet the band never stops paying tribute to the man who powered their sound for six decades.
Fellow drummer Zak Starkey summed it up: “The engine of the stones.” Fans worldwide praised Watts’ musical gifts and his steady presence over the years.
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