Yahoo Lifestyle Keith Richards Explains His ‘Very Important’ Opinion on Political Landscape
One doesn’t necessarily associate Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards with libraries and yet he was at the Westport Library in Westport, Conn. on Wednesday, March 5 to accept the inaugural Connecticut Governor’s Award for Excellence from Governor Ned Lamont.
Richards—who wrote the acclaimed 2000 memoir Life, as well as 2014’s biographical Gus & Me: The Story of My Granddad and My First Guitar—spoke about the importance of books while accepting the honor.
“Without our books, without knowing things, without knowing their special meaning—this isn’t movies, this is not someone drawing you images,” Richards said. “This is a book, and you have the movie in your head.”
“It’s very important that we keep our books unburnt,” he added in an apparent attempt to push back against the growing book bans.
The British “Happy” singer, 81, also had praise for his adopted home state.
"I’d like to say thank you to you all and thank you to the state of Connecticut. You kind of get lost for words with something like this around your neck,” he said, referring to the award he’d just received. “I’ve been here for 40 years, and it’s been a great place for me. I brought the kids up here. I was interested when the kids were here, and I said I have to get the kids out of New York City so they could get some fresh air to breathe. And ever since, we’ve had a great life. I’m incredibly happy about everything, especially things like this, because you don’t get them every day.”
Invited guests on hand to witness Richards receive the honor included Today show anchor Craig Melvin, former CNN commentator Alisyn Camerota, Psychedelic Furs singer Richard Butler and noted record producer Rob Fraboni, who has worked with the Stones, Bob Dylan and others.
Richards’ Stones bandmate Mick Jagger, who made a surprise appearance Sunday, March 2, as a presenter at the Oscars, did not make the ceremony.
The award, a custom-designed medallion crafted by State Trooper Danny Carvalho, was presented to the “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” cowriter by Connecticut First Lady Ann Lamont.
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