FILE – Members of The Rolling Stones, from left, Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts, Keith Richards and Ron Wood pose for photos from their plan at Jose Marti international airport in Havana, Cuba on March 24, 2016. Watts’ publicist, Bernard Doherty, said Watts passed away peacefully in a London hospital surrounded by his family on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. He was 80. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa File) 
FILE – Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones poses for a portrait on Nov. 14, 2016, in New York. Watts’ publicist, Bernard Doherty, said Watts passed away peacefully in a London hospital surrounded by his family on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. He was 80. (Photo by Victoria Will/Invision/AP, File) 
FILE – Members of the Rolling Stones, from left, drummer Charlie Watts, guitarist Ron Wood, singer Mick Jagger, and guitarist Keith Richards. pose for photographers after arriving for a Super Bowl news conference in Detroit on Feb. 2, 2006. Watts’ publicist, Bernard Doherty, said Watts passed away peacefully in a London hospital surrounded by his family on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. He was 80. The Rolling Stones were the halftime entertainment at Super Bowl XL foorball game between Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File) 
FILE – Members of the Rolling Stones, from left, Charlie Watts, Ron Wood, Keith Richards, and Mick Jagger appear at a party celebrating the opening of their film “Let’s Spend The Night Together,” in New York on Jan. 18, 1983. Watts’ publicist, Bernard Doherty, said Watts passed away peacefully in a London hospital surrounded by his family on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. He was 80. (AP Photo/Carlos Rene Perez, File) 
FILE – Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts performs at the Rose Bowl, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019, in Pasadena, Calif. Watts died in London on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021 at age 80. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)
LONDON | Members of the Rolling Stones have saluted their unshakeable drummer Charlie Watts, who died Tuesday at the age of 80.
Mick Jagger, the legendary rock band’s frontman, posted a photo on Twitter of a smiling Watts seated behind a drum.
Lead guitarist Keith Richards shared a picture of a drum set with a hanging “Closed” sign.
Watts’ publicist announced Tuesday afternoon that the musician had “passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family.”
Guitarist Ronnie Wood posted a photo of himself and his late bandmate captioned “I love you my fellow Gemini – I will dearly miss you – you are the best.”
On the Rollingstones.com website, only a black-silhouetted portrait of Watts appeared.
Having joined the Stones in 1963, the drummer ranked just behind Jagger and Richards as the group’s longest lasting and most essential member.
Watts was present throughout the band’s 30 studio albums, largely holding himself apart from the drug abuse, creative clashes and ego wars of rock ‘n’ roll.
He had previously announced he would not tour with the Stones in 2021 because of an undefined health issue. He was replaced by American musician Steve Jordan for the “No Filter” series of shows in the United States, due to begin in St. Louis on Sept. 26.
The 80-year-old’s death has drawn tributes from across the music industry, including from Paul McCartney, Elton John and Patti Smith. Fellow drummers praised the talent and influence, who also recorded jazz albums.
Watts is survived by his wife Shirley, sister Linda, daughter Seraphina and granddaughter Charlotte.