A family tribute to Charlie Watts (or Recollections on The Bakerloo Line) by Nettie Baker

I know that my late father (Ginger Baker) would want me to pay tribute to one of his two most enduring friendships. Here is my personal account of a close, yet relatively little known relationship.

From my earliest recollections of the early 1960’s, I knew the name of Charlie Watts.  Apart from the fact that his mum knew my mum Liz’s aunt Pamela in Kingsbury, North London (where Charlie grew up), his proximity to where we lived in Neasden and was then The Bakerloo Line tube (now The Jubilee Line). He was revered in our house.

Charlie was forever credited with playing a major part in helping dad’s career on its upward trajectory. He had for some time very quietly admired dad’s playing in the smoky  jazz clubs of late 1950’s London, where many of the seeds of the 1960’s pop culture revolution were being sown. In 1962, Charlie had secured a coveted place in the very happening Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated, but he had heard about town that dad was at that time looking for a gig.

The following legend was told to me repeatedly by both my parents for many years to come:

Charlie said ‘Its not right me being in this band whilst such a great talent as Ginger Baker is out of work’, and with that, he abdicated the hallowed drum chair to dad, even helping him set up his kit at the first rehearsal.  ‘I could hardly believe it!’ said dad. ‘On my recommendation’ said Charlie.

Dad again expressed his gratitude to Charlie when they got on The Bakerloo Line together one night soon after.  Charlie replied that he wasn’t even sure he wanted to follow a a career as a professional musician as there was no security in it!

As The Stones began gigging on the same club circuit, mum & dad would often join Charlie on those little red Bakerloo Line trains to and from Town. Mum recalled Charlie’s concerns that if he became well known, how would he be sure that a girlfriend would love him for himself? She assured him he’d be fine.

Years rolled by as they do and dad and Charlie bumped into each other many times. In the 90’s, when The Stones played in Colorado, Charlie took the time to go and visit dad on his ranch there, making him laugh by saying ‘I would give you tickets, but I know you won’t come!’ In 2008, Charlie presented dad with his Zildjian Lifetime Achievement Award at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire. On stage they mentioned the ‘Bakerloo Line days’ again and backstage mum joined in with more, like any old mates reminiscing. For dad’s 70^th birthday, Charlie sent an enormous white Orchid which still survives (flowering well) as ‘The Charlie Watts Orchid’. In early October 2019, as dad steadily declined, I reached out to a mutual friend to let Charlie know the lie of the land.

Soon after, my phone rang and a familiar voice asked ‘Is this Nettie? Charlie Watt’s here.’ He spoke of his love and concern for dad and I gave him dad’s number (‘have you got a pen?’ ‘hang on. Yes’). Two days later, dad passed away. I rang Charlie with the news and he was so very sad, but glad also that he’d managed to talk to him.  (of course we had a chat about aunt Pamela, Kingsbury and The Bakerloo Line.)  ‘I thought the world of him.’ said Charlie, ‘and he thought the world of you.’ I was pleased to reply. The human face of  ‘Rock and Roll’…. or was it Jazz?