“Charlie told me the show must go on!” Photo of Watts and Ronnie Wood via Woods’ Facebook page
Following the surprise announcement on Wednesday night (August 4, 2021), that Charlie Watts had an unspecified medical procedure that makes him unlikely to join the Rolling Stones’ U.S. tour this autumn, his bandmates posted words of encouragement to the drumming legend.
In the official statement, 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. After all the fans’ suffering caused by Covid I really do not want the many RS fans who have been holding tickets for this Tour to be disappointed by another postponement or cancellation. I have therefore asked my great friend Steve Jordan to stand in for me.”
Related: The full statement made on August 4, 2021
Watts turned 80 on June 2. In 2004, he was diagnosed with throat cancer but it has been in remission ever since.
The Rolling Stones (Photo: J. Rose; used with permission)
On Thursday, simultaneous statements came from Keith Richards, Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood.
“This has been a bit of a blow to all of us, to say the least,” wrote Richards, “and we’re all wishing for Charlie to have a speedy recovery and to see him as soon as possible. Thank you to Steve Jordan for joining us in the meantime.”
“🥁❤️🙏 I will miss Charlie on our upcoming tour,” wrote Wood, “but he told me the show must go on! I’m really looking forward to Charlie getting back on stage with us as soon as he’s fully recovered. A huge thank you to the band’s old friend Steve Jordan for rockin’ on in Charlie’s place, and on his drum seat for the Autumn tour.”
Wood has had his own cancer scares. In April 2021, he acknowledged that he had battled a rare and aggressive small cell cancer during lockdown.
“We really look forward to welcoming Charlie back as soon as he is fully recovered,” Jagger wrote. “Thank you to our friend Steve Jordan for stepping in, so we can still play all the shows for you this fall.”
The Stones’ 2019 North American tour was delayed for several months, following Jagger’s heart valve procedure.
The Rolling Stones – No Filter USA 2021 Tour (Tickets available here and here)
Sep 26 – St. Louis, MO – The Dome at America’s Center
Sep 30 – Charlotte, NC – Bank of America Stadium
Oct 04 – Pittsburgh, PA – Heinz Field
Oct 09 – Nashville, TN – Nissan Stadium
Oct 13 – New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
Oct 17 – Los Angeles, CA – SoFi Stadium
Oct 24 – Minneapolis, MN – U.S. Bank Stadium
Oct 29 – Tampa, FL – Raymond James Stadium
Nov 02 – Dallas, TX – Cotton Bowl Stadium
Nov 06 – Las Vegas, NV – Allegiant Stadium
Nov 11 – Atlanta, GA – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Nov 15 – Detroit, MI – Ford Field
Nov 20 – Austin, TX – Circuit of The Americas
The tour is once again sponsored by Alliance for Lifetime Income, a nonprofit education organization that educates Americans about the importance of having protected lifetime income.
Related: Listings for 100s of classic rock tours
1 Comment so far
Jump into a conversationCharlie Watts I am sorry to hear you will not be on your Drum Set for the Next Tour. You Always look Dapper. Charlie, Ronnie and Mick just take good care of your Health Matters to Stay Healthy and Fit… I saw the Band @ Oracle Arena in Oakland on 5/5/2015. Loved it All. Great Show.. ** Enjoy the Upcoming TOUR **