Keith Richards Reveals the Rolling Stones Are Recording New Music Without Charlie Watts

Unfortunately, a rock legend was lost when drummer for the Rolling Stones, Charlie Watts, died at the age of 80. He passed away in his sleep in August 2021. The band has been together since the 1960s and still performs together on stages all over the world.

But now that Charlie has passed, who is playing drums for the Rolling Stones? It turns out the band didn't have to go far to find someone to fill Charlie's shoes. Here's everything we know about the new drummer and his extensive music career.

According to the New York Post, a musician named Steve Jordan is playing the drums for the Rolling Stones. Charlie had asked Steve to fill in for him before his death. Because of health issues and surgery, Charlie had to skip the band's 2021 tour.

Steve has been playing the drums on the tour ever since, but he has his own impressive history in the music industry. Per the New York Post, he's worked with some legendary names in the industry including Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, B.B. King, Stevie Nicks, and more. And he's been working with the Rolling Stones since 1986, collaborating on various projects and filling in for Charlie at different points.

He's also performed in the house bands of Saturday Night Live and Late Night With David Letterman and was a member of the John Mayer Trio. But this isn't even half of his résumé.

"Steve Jordan is a tower of strength, as was Charlie Watts," said Mick Jagger, the Rolling Stones' frontman, per Variety. He even mentioned that the band has been working with him for 30 years.

"It was Charlie that recommended Steve to me in the mid-'80s: 'Looks like we got some time off. If you’re going to do anything by yourself, there’s your man – Steve Jordan,'" Mick said. "And here he is."

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Keith Richards reveals that Charlie Watts died before the latest Rolling Stones album could be finished. However, they cannot leave the album unfinished, and Keith said, "We do have a lot of stuff of Charlie Watts still in the can. We were halfway through making an album when he died. … Of course, if we want to carry on recording, we’re gonna need drums, and it’s gonna be Steve Jordan."

Although Steve does wear sunglasses pretty often onstage, there's no indication that he's blind or that he wears them because of his vision. Although, it makes sense that people would think that since he's been wearing the shades for years. It could simply be a stylistic choice.

People who think Steve is blind might be getting him confused with the musician Esteban “Steve” Jordan, who died back in 2010 and was partially blind. He played the accordion as well as dozens of other instruments, and was even known as "the Jimi Hendrix of the accordion."

But Steve Jordan the drummer has had a career all his own. He's been involved with music ever since he was a teenager and has played on albums from all kinds of artists. Kelly Clarkson, Alicia Keys, and Sheryl Crow are just a few of the people he's worked with.