Charlie Watts, the drummer of the legendary British rock'n'roll band the Rolling Stones, died on Tuesday at the age of 80, his publicist said.
"It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts," a statement said.
"He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family."
It said he was "a cherished husband, father and grandfather" and "one of the greatest drummers of his generation".
The statement added: "We kindly request that the privacy of his family, band members and close friends is respected at this difficult time."
The news comes weeks after it was announced that Watts would miss the band's US tour dates to recover from an unspecified medical procedure. Watts was previously treated for throat cancer in 2004.
He had been a member of the Stones since January 1963, when he joined Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian Jones in their fledgling group.
Watts was known as the quiet man of the riotous band, which helped define the Swinging Sixties with timeless hits such as "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction".
His level head off the stage was reflected in his metronomic time-keeping on stage, counterbalancing the energy and charisma of singer Mick Jagger and guitarists Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood.
A jazz aficionado at heart, Watts helped them become, with The Beatles, one of the bands who took rock 'n' roll to the masses in the 60s with classics like (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, Jumpin' Jack Flash, Get Off My Cloud and Sympathy for the Devil.
