Table of Biography
Charles Watts was a drummer from England. Moreover, Charles Watts rose to fame as the drummer of Rolling Stone, an English rock band. He played as a drummer for the band from 1963 until he died in 2021.
Early Life
Charles Robert Watts best known as Charles Watts was born on the 2nd of June 1941, in London, England. At the age of 82 years old, he passed away and was British by nationality. He has a zodiac sign of Gemini and believes in Christianity by religion.
And, he belongs to the British-White ethnicity. He was the son of Charles Richard Watts (father) and Lillian Charlotte (mother). Professionally, his father was an employee at London Midland & Scottish Railway as a lorry driver. He grew up with his sister Linda.
Educational Background and Early Career
Talking about his academic career, he received his early education from the fаmоuѕ Туlеrѕ Сrоft Ѕесоndаrу Моdеrn Ѕсhооl after moving to Kingsbury. During his early schооl dау, hе dеvеlореd аn inсоmраrаblе vigоr tоwаrd аrt, аnd gаmе like fооtbаll аnd сriсkеt.
Charles Watts and his friend, Dаvе Grееn, were fascinated with drumming when they were approximately thirteen years old. In 1955, his parents got him his first drum kit, and he practiced with jazz albums he had acquired. He then continued with both drums and jazz.
After graduating high school, he joined Harrow Art School (now the University of Westminster’s Harrow campus), where he remained until 1960. After finishing art school, he worked as a graphic designer at Charlie Daniels Studios and occasionally played drums in coffee shops and bars with local bands.
Charles Watts hаd bеgin wth thеr соllаbоrаtеd musс bаnd еnttlеd Jо оnе ll tаr, thаt hаd соntnuеd frоm 1958 tо 1959, whеrе hе hаd еnоуеd hоwсаng hаzz He and Green began their musical careers together in a jazz band named the Jo Jones All Stars in Middlesex from 1958 to 1959.
He received аn оffеr fоr bеng а раrt оf Bluеs Inсоrроrаtеd in 1961, whеrе hе hаd реrfоrmеd sinсе 1962. It had only been a year since he had shiftеd tо Rоllng tоnе. Initially, the band was unable to pay Watts, who had been earning a steady salary from his concerts. On February 2, 1963, he made his first public performance as a permanent member of the Ealing Jazz Club.
Professional Career
Charles Watts even provided graphic art and comic cartoons to early Rolling Stones albums, such as the “Between the Buttons” record sleeve. He was also in charge of the 1975 tour announcement press conference in New York City.
In addition, the band surprised the crowd of reporters by driving and performing “Brown Sugar” on the back of a flatbed truck in the middle of Manhattan traffic. Aside from being a member of The Rolling Stones, he was also involved in a variety of other activities.
Similarly, he has built elaborate tour stages, beginning with the lotus-shaped design of the 1975 Tour of the Americas and continuing with the 1989-1990 Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour, the 1997-1998 Bridges to Babylon Tour, the 2002-2003 Licks Tour, and the 2005-2007 A Bigger Bang Tour.
Caption: Charles Watts playing his drum (Source: Instagram)
In December 1964, he released “Ode to a High Flying Bird” a cartoon tribute to Charlie Parker. Watts joined Ian Stewart in the back-to-basics boogie-woogie band “Rocket 88” in the late 1970s.
In 1993, the Charlie Watts Quintet, which included vocalist Bernard Fowler, released “Warm and Tender.” In 1996, the same band released “Long Ago and Far Away.” Watts at Scott’s was recorded with his band, “the Charlie Watts Tentet” at London’s Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club.
Following their successful work with Jim Keltner on The Rolling Stones,’ LP Bridges to Babylon, they produced a techno/instrumental album simply named “Charlie Watts/Jim Keltner Project.”
Inducted into the Hall of Fame
He began performing performances with the ABC&D of Boogie Woogie in April 2009. (including pianists Axel Zwingenberger and Ben Waters plus childhood friend Dave Green on bass). The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. Watts, however, did not attend the ceremony.
He was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in the July 2006 edition, alongside Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, Steve Gadd, Buddy Rich, and other highly regarded and important drummers from the history of rock and jazz. He was “rock’s greatest drummer” according to music critic Robert Christgau.
Awards
In his musical career, he is regarded as one of the greatest drummers of all time. Moreover, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. Likewise, he was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame with the Rolling Stones.
Watts was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in the July 2006 edition, joining Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, Steve Gadd, Buddy Rich, and other highly regarded and important drummers from rock and jazz history. In 2016, he was named 12th on Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Greatest Drummers of All Time.”
Caption: Charlie Watts with his band ‘The Rolling Stone Band’ (Source: Instagram)
Charles Watts – Net Worth 2024
At the time of his death, this famous drummer’s net worth was estimated at around $250 million, and is on the list of the “Top 10 Richest Musicians” in the world. He was also a shareholder in The Rolling Stones’ many corporate entities.
Relationship Status
This American late drummer was married to his beautiful wife, Shirley Ann Shepherd. On the 14th of October 1964, the couple got married and they first met each other before the band became successful.
With the marriage, the couple had a daughter, Seraphina. He lived in Dolton, a rural village in West Devon, and had an Arabian horse stud farm. Charlie and Shirley had a great life before his death.
Caption: Charlie Watts with his family (Source: Instagram)
Death
On the 24th of August, 2021, he died at the age of 80 in a London hospital. Many celebrities and rock musicians paid tribute to his death. Watts’ previously mild usage of alcohol and drugs became excessive in the mid-1980s.
He was diagnosed with throat cancer in June 2004, after having quit smoking in the late 1980s. Moreover, he had treatment, and the cancer went into remission.
Body Measurements
This Drummer stands 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs around 78 kg. Moreover, he has blu-brown eyes with white hair color and his other body measurements are unavailable at the moment.
Caption: Charles Watts posing for a photo (Source: Instagram)
Charles Watts – Social Media
Moreover, this legendary American drummer is not more in this world so, he is not active on any kinds of social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.