- Born
- Died
- Birth nameCharles Robert Watts
- Nickname
- The Wembley Whammer
- Height5′ 8″ (1.73 m)
- Charles Robert Watts (2 June 1941 - 24 August 2021) was an English musician who achieved international fame as the drummer of the Rolling Stones from 1963 until his death in 2021.
Originally trained as a graphic artist, Watts developed an interest in jazz at a young age and joined the band Blues Incorporated. He also started playing drums in London's rhythm and blues clubs, where he met future band-mates Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian Jones. In January 1963, he left Blues Incorporated and joined the Rolling Stones as drummer, while doubling as designer of their record sleeves and tour stages. Watts's first public appearance as a permanent member was in February 1963, and he remained with the group for 58 years.
Nicknamed "The Wembley Whammer" by Jagger, Watts cited jazz as a major influence on his drumming style. At the time of Watts's death, Watts, Jagger and Richards were the only members of the band to have performed on every one of the band's studio albums. Aside from his career with the Rolling Stones, Watts toured with his own group, the Charlie Watts Quintet, and appeared in London at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club with the Charlie Watts Tentet.
In 1989, Watts was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2004, he was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame with the Rolling Stones. He is often regarded as one of the greatest drummers of all time.
- IMDb mini biography by: Bonitao
- SpouseShirley Watts(October 14, 1963 - August 24, 2021) (his death, 1 child)
- ChildrenSerafina Watts
- ParentsLillian Charlotte EavesCharles Richard Watts
- His jazz-influenced, but heavy style of playing the drums with The Rolling Stones.
- Unlike his colleagues, Charlie Watts had usually preferred a more peaceful, low key existence outside of work.
- He had always been considered the most reticent, most quiet, and least wild member of The Rolling Stones.
- Although Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are the only remaining founding members of The Rolling Stones, Watts joined the group within less than a year of its inception.
- Diagnosed with throat cancer in June 2004, despite having quit smoking 15 years earlier. In October 2004, it was announced his cancer had gone into remission after radiation treatment.
- Elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 (as a member of The Rolling Stones).
- I hate leaving home. I love what I do, but I'd love to go home every night.
- I'm very strict with my packing and have everything in its right place. I never change a rule. I hardly use anything in the hotel room. I wheel my own wardrobe in and that's it.
- I wanted to play drums because I fell in love with the glitter and the lights, but it wasn't about adulation. It was being up there playing.
- Chuck Berry's studio band - there isn't a better rock'n'roll band. That's where we got it from. "Roll Over Beethoven" by everybody else is a joke.
- A lot of white bands to me are vastly overrated. I say white bands because most of the music I love to play on record is by black American musicians, 40s and 50s stuff. Zeppelin (Led Zeppelin) were amazing. Just the sound of Bonham (John Bonham) and Jimmy Page was an amazing sound in itself, without anything else. And then you had the fact that they were bloody good players.
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