On August 24, 2021, Watts passed away at a hospital in London with his loved ones by his side. He was 80. Along with former bandmate Wyman, Watts’ bandmates Jagger, Richards, and Wood paid tribute to him.
Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Elton John, Brian Wilson, Pete Townshend, Nick Mason, Roger Daltrey, the members of U2, Bryan Adams, Liam Gallagher, Brian May, Roger Taylor, Kenney Jones, Chad Smith, Questlove, and Max Weinberg are just a few of the famous people and rock musicians who paid tribute to Watts after his passing.
The content of the Rolling Stones’ official website was changed for ten days to a single image of Watts.
Charlie Watts’ illness: What disease did Charlie Watts have? Benign tumor explained
In spite of quitting smoking in the late 1980s, Watts received a throat cancer diagnosis in June 2004. After a round of treatment, cancer entered remission in him.
Watts recounted, “I went into the hospital,” Watts recalled, “and eight months later Mick said, ‘We’re going to do a record. But we’ll only do it when you’re ready.’
They were buggering about, writing songs, and when I was ready I went down and that was it, A Bigger Bang. Then I did a two-year tour. It seems that whenever we stop, I get ill. So maybe I should carry on!”
It was announced on August 5, 2021, that Watts had chosen to forgo the continuation of the US No Filter Tour owing to a cardiac procedure surgery and that Steve Jordan would fill in on drums in the interim.
