(NBC) A rock and roll legend has died.
The London publicist for Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts announced Tuesday that Watts has died at the age of 80.
In a statement, the publicist said watts “passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family.”
As the Stones’ drummer, Watts provided the backbone of the group’s sound for more than half a century.
Earlier this month a spokesman said Watts was “unlikely” to be joining the British band on its U.S. “No Filter” tour this fall.
The statement said he needed to rest following a “successful” medical procedure.
At the time, watts said he had asked his “great friend Steve Jordan” to stand in for him on the U.S. tour.
The statement from the publicist following Watts’s passing said: “Charlie was a cherished husband, father and grandfather and also as a member of the rolling stones one of the greatest drummers of his generation.”
The Rolling Stones’ “No Filter” tour was set to begin in St. Louis on September 26. The band was scheduled to visit several U.S. cities, including Dallas, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. No word yet on whether the tour will go ahead as planned.
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