British tabloid The Mirror reports:
The Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts has died at the age of 80. The sad news comes weeks after Watts pulled out of the band’s No Filter tour. A spokesperson for Charlie confirmed his absence from the US shows earlier this month, revealing that the rocker needed to ‘rest and recuperate’ following a medical procedure.
He confirmed the operation had been ‘completely successful’ but said the star needed time to recover. Watts said: “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.”
Bandmates Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood all shared messages of support following the announcement. Charlie has been a member of the Rolling Stones since 1963.
Famed Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts has died at age 80, his publicist says. https://t.co/Kvab5O5sdH
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 24, 2021
Charlie Watts, Rolling Stones Drummer, Dies at 80 https://t.co/8M9oXKvVEd
— Variety (@Variety) August 24, 2021