Showing in a constructing of books as an alternative of a stadium with amps, Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards was honored Wednesday with a brand new award that acknowledges Connecticut residents for his or her creativity, ardour and generosity.
Richards, 81, who’s British, has saved a house in Connecticut since 1985. He turned the primary recipient of the Connecticut Governor’s Award of Excellence, receiving a custom-designed medallion and hearty applause from dozens attending the ceremony on the Westport Library.
Gov. Ned Lamont, a Stones fan, praised Richards for his music profession and philanthropy to native organizations, and the state’s first girl, Annie Lamont, positioned the medallion round his neck.
“Well, thank you very much. And thank you Connecticut,” Richards mentioned earlier than pausing briefly. “You kind of get lost for words with something like this around your neck. All I gotta say is, you know, I’ve been here for 40 years, and it’s been a great place for me.”
Richards mentioned he moved from New York Metropolis to the leafy, rich suburb of Weston about 50 miles (80 kilometers) to the northeast so his kids may get some recent air.
“The family’s had a great life,” he said. “The kids grew up great and incredibly happy about everything.”
Richards and his spouse, mannequin and actress Patti Hansen, have two grownup kids. He additionally has two kids with ex-wife Anita Pallenberg. One other baby with Pallenberg, Tara, died from sudden toddler loss of life syndrome in 1976.
Lamont famous Richards’ help of native organizations that serve individuals with disabilities together with SPHERE, an training, recreation and humanities group, and The Prospector Theater, which operates a movie show and on-line popcorn enterprise.
“Keith Richards is an amazing member of our community, and we’re so proud that he’s here,” Lamont mentioned. “And I’m so proud for the opportunity to give him this award in excellence.”
The Democratic governor additionally joked that Richards is one in every of his “top political advisers,” by means of his music. Lamont performed snippets of Stones’ songs together with “Start Me Up” — saying it was an inspiration for serving to small companies — and “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” — his reply to state lawmakers’ requests to extend the funds, he mentioned.
The award medallion was designed by a Connecticut state trooper, Danny Carvalho, to which Richards could have raised an eyebrow throughout his earlier, hard-partying days. A designer from Enfield, Justin Haynes, designed the ribbon connected to the medallion.
The Westport Library’s govt director, William Harmer, had an additional reward he offered to Richards, one Harmer mentioned was extra prestigious than a star on the Hollywood Stroll of Fame or a private parking house in Instances Sq.: a Westport Library card.
Richards has an affinity for libraries, calling them a fantastic and publicly owned equalizer in society.
“Without our books and without knowing things, and without their special meaning — this is not movies,” he mentioned. “This is not somebody drawing you images or anything. This is a book, and you have the movie in your head. And it’s very important that we keep our books unburnt.”
Richards is taken into account one of many biggest rock guitarists of all time. He’s a founding member of the Rolling Stones, which fashioned in 1962 as a blues band and gained recognition with authentic songs together with “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “Gimme Shelter” and “Sympathy for the Devil.” He additionally has launched solo recordings and ones with different artists.
