Charlie Watts

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Charles Robert "Charlie" Watts (born 2 June, 1941, in Islington, London) is the drummer of The Rolling Stones. He is also a jazz bandleader and commercial artist.

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Biography

Watts was born in the London suburb of Islington in 1941. His father drove a lorry for British Rail. In his early days, he attended Tylers Croft Secondary Modern School as well as Harrow Art School. In 1960, he was working with a band called Blues By Five when he met a man named Alexis Korner, who convinced him to join his own band, Blues Incorporated. Later the same year, the band picked up lead singer Mick Jagger, as well as guitarists Brian Jones and Keith Richards.

Shortly thereafter, Watts left the band, citing its hectic schedule. A trained commercial artist, Watts found work at the advertising firm of Charles Hobson and Grey. However, in late 1962, several of the members of Blues Incorporated (now calling themselves The Rolling Stones) persuaded Watts to return. Watts kept his day job until the Stones secured a long term gig at the Crawdaddy Club near London, after which he quit to devote his life to music. Watts remains a member of the Stones to this day.

Watts has been involved in many activities outside his high-profile life as a member of the Rolling Stones. In 1964, he published a cartoon tribute to Charlie Parker entitled Ode to a High Flying Bird. Although he has made his name in rock, his personal tastes focus on Jazz; in the 1980s, he toured worldwide with a big band that included such names as Evan Parker, Courtney Pine, and Jack Bruce. In 1991, he organized a Jazz quintet as another tribute to Charlie Parker.

Watts's personal life is substantially quieter and more professional than his bandmates and many of his rock and roll colleagues. Although formerly a smoker, Watts did not abuse harder drugs. On October 14, 1964, Watts married his wife Shirley, whom he met before the band had its first big hit; their union endures to this day. They had one daughter, Seraphina Watts, born in 1968.

In June 2004, Charlie was diagnosed with throat cancer, and underwent a course of radiotherapy. The cancer has since gone into remission and Watts is once again touring with the Stones.

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Role in the band

As the drummer for the Rolling Stones for over forty years, Charlie Watts has been the heartbeat of one of the greatest and most influential bands in the history of rock music. Although he lacks the flash of bandmates Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, his musical credentials are unquestionable. During the four decades of performing, he had developed himself as gifted and powerful drummer on his own. He is cited by many modern drummers as a big influence on their own drumming duties.

In 1989, The Rolling Stones, including Watts, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. As a practical joke, it's been said that Mick wants to be Keith, Keith wants to be Mick, but both they want to be Charlie Watts.

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