Charlie Watts bows out of Rolling Stones US tour while recovering from medical procedure

Charlie Watts will most likely be missing the Rolling Stones’ upcoming No Filter US tour - which starts on 26 September following postponement during the COVID-19 pandemic - due to recovering from a medical procedure, drafting-in Steve Jordan as his dep for the upcoming shows.

A spokesperson for Watts released a statement via the Rolling Stones’ social media channels, saying “Charlie has had a procedure which was completely successful, but I gather 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.”

Watts added, “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 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”  

Session legend, Steve Jordan (John Mayer, BB King, Bruce Springteen and many more) is of course, no stranger to the Rolling Stones camp, having been the co-writer, co-producer and drummer in Keith Richards’ X-Pensive Winos solo band since the late ‘80s.

Jordan said in the statement, “It is an absolute honour and a privilege to be Charlie’s understudy and I am looking forward to rehearsing with Mick, Keith and Ronnie. No one will be happier than me to give up my seat on the drum-riser as soon as Charlie tells me he is good to go.”