Charlie Watts will miss The Rolling Stones’ upcoming US tour after undergoing an unspecified medical procedure.
A representative for the band said “Charlie has had a procedure which was completely successful, but his doctors this week concluded that he now needs proper rest and recuperation. With rehearsals starting in a couple of weeks it’s very disappointing to say the least, but it’s also fair to say no one saw this coming.”
In his own statement, Watts joked that “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.”
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“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,” Watts added. “I have therefore asked my great friend Steve Jordan to stand in for me.”
As Watts mentioned, longtime Rolling Stones associate Steve Jordan, who is a member of Keith Richards’ side project X-Pensive Winos, will be filling in on drums.
Watts, who recently turned 80, hasn’t missed a Rolling Stones gig since January 1963 (via Rolling Stone). He previously underwent surgery to treat throat cancer in 2004.
The latest leg of The Rolling Stones’ “No Filter Tour” kicks off in late September and runs through November. You can grab tickets here.
The Rolling Stones 2021 Tour Dates:
09/26 – St. Louis, MO @ The Dome at America’s Center
09/30 – Charlotte, NC @ Bank Of America Stadium
10/04 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Heinz Field
10/09 – Nashville, TN @ Nissan Stadium
10/13 – New Orleans, LA @ New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
10/17 – Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium
10/24 – Minneapolis, MN @ U.S. Bank Stadium
10/29 – Tampa, FL @ Raymond James Stadium
11/02 – Dallas, TX @ Cotton Bowl Stadium
11/06 – Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium
11/11 – Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium
11/15 – Detroit, MI @ Ford Field
11/20 – Austin, TX @ Circuit of The Americas
