On 24 August 2021, Charlie Watts passed away in London, laying down his drumsticks forever after playing in one of the world's most famous rock bands for 58 years. Since January 1963, Watts had been a member of the Rolling Stones, who, in addition to their music, made a name for themselves with their wild private life in the 1960s and 1970s – although Watts was known for taking it easy.
"He was the quintessential English gentleman and his absence is a great loss for us all. We miss him hugely,” said his bandmates Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood.
Although he rose to fame with rock 'n' roll, Watt's real passion since he was young was jazz. Before joining the Stones, he had indeed played in jazz bands, which he continued to do later. His childhood friend, jazz musician Dave Green, with whom he was friends until his death, recalls: "Charlie was my dearest old friend since early childhood and in our early teens we both developed a lifelong love of jazz. Charlie of course became a member of the greatest rock band in the world, but his love of jazz never left him. His collection of jazz memorabilia which he started in his teens and built up during his years with the Stones is truly astonishing; it reflects his enduring love of the music and the musicians who made it."
See also: From Haydn to Hip-Hop: Music for Collectors
Watts also expressed his passion for jazz by collecting related objects. In September, Christie's is dedicating a two-part auction called 'Charlie Watts: Gentleman, Collector, Rolling Stone - Literature and Jazz', which also reveals Watts' other passion: modern literature. "Charlie was the heartbeat of the Rolling Stones for nearly sixty years, he was totally unique and devoted to jazz and literature from boyhood," Jagger, Richards and Wood also report.
The Jazz Collection includes memorabilia associated with the great musicians Charlie Watts admired, including Billie Holliday, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, cornetist Leon Beiderbecke, and his favourite sax player, Charlie Parker. The 20th Century Literature section is headed by an edition of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, which was inscribed by Fitzgerald to ‘the original Gatsby’, Harold Goldman, a screenwriter at MGM. The auction also includes big names like Agatha Christie, PG Wodehouse, Arthur Conan Doyle, James Joyce and George Orwell.
See also: How The Great Gatsby Got Its Cover
"Charlie Watts holds a unique position within music history and Christie's is proud to pay tribute to his extraordinary achievements and multifaceted legacy," said Benedict Winter, Specialist, Private & Iconic Collections, and Mark Wiltshire, Specialist, Books and Manuscripts Christie's in a press release. "Charlie built his collection of modern literature and jazz with passion, intelligence and dedication, and this two-part auction celebrates his distinguished collecting taste. We invite the public to join us in this rare opportunity to glimpse the very private world of this extraordinary musical genius."
The first part of Charlie Watts' collection will be auctioned at Christie's in London on 28 September. The second part will go under the hammer in an online auction from 15-29 September. Highlights will be on display ahead of the New York (5-8 September) and London (20-27 September) auctions.
