Charlie Watts Sitting Out Rolling Stones Tour Due To Medical Procedure

Charlie Watts won't be behind the kit for The Rolling Stones on their upcoming United States tour.

Per Rolling Stone, a rep for the Stones said in a statement, "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."

Filling in for Watts will be Steve Jordan, the drummer for Keith Richards' X-Pensive Winos.

Watts said in his own personal statement, "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." He even commented on the situation, "...for once, my timing has been a little off."

Neither statement specified the nature of the procedure Watts underwent recently.

Rolling Stone also noted, "Watts isn’t the founding drummer of the Stones, but he hasn’t missed a gig since joining in January 1963. He’s the only member besides Mick Jagger and Keith Richards to appear on every single studio record."

As previously reported, the upcoming rescheduled "No Filter" tour dates kick off on September 26 in St. Louis.