The Drummer

As much as I love rock and roll music, there are but a handful of musicians who impressed me with their lifestyles after they stepped outside the spotlight.   Charlie Watts, the drummer for the Rolling Stones, was one those rare people who impressed me.  His passing the other day (at the age of 80) leaves a hole in rock and roll that can never be entirely filled.

Watts joined the Rolling Stones in 1963 and managed to remain in the group until his passing almost 60 years later.

That alone is an incredible feat.

He was a calming spirit for everyone.  His tranquil and cool demeanor, and his ability to avoid clashes of ego, are much of what held the band together through the decades.  In spite of his mega-stardom, he remained humble, if not self-effacing.

Both Keith Richards and Mick Jagger considered Watts the backbone of the rolling stones.  He managed to do this while using a small drum kit and purposely eschewed flashy displays or solos in his drumming style.

Most impressively, he married Shirley Ann Shepherd in 1964 and remained married to her until his passing.  He always put his family life ahead of his rock and roll life.  In my way of thinking, you can’t do better than that.

—Mitchell Hegman