Legendary Rolling Stones Guitarist Keith Richards Honored by Governor Ned Lamont at The Westport Library

 

Longtime Connecticut Resident Awarded Inaugural Governor’s Award of Excellence in the Library’s Trefz Forum

 

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WESTPORT, CT (Wednesday, March 5) – The Westport Library was the site of a wonderful convergence of politics, rock and roll, and community service, with Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont honoring legendary Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards as the inaugural recipient of the Governor’s Award of Excellence.

 

Richards, a longtime Connecticut resident, was recognized for his contributions in enriching Connecticut’s cultural and civic life.

 

The award, presented to Richards on stage by Connecticut First Lady Ann Lamont, consisted of a custom-designed medallion — crafted by State Trooper Danny Carvalho and manufactured by the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT) — along with a ribbon designed and sewn by Enfield-based fashion designer Justin Haynes.

 

“I’d like to say thank you to you all, and thank you to the state of Connecticut,” Richards said in accepting the award. “You kind of get lost for words with something like this around your neck. I’ve been here for 40 years, and it’s been a great place for me. I brought the kids up here. When the kids were young, I said, I have to get the kids out of New York City before they don’t get any fresh air at all. So, we moved up here, 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.”

 

The Connecticut Governor’s Award of Excellence is a new honor celebrating residents who epitomize the state’s core values: creativity, resourcefulness, passion, dynamism, and generosity. Additionally, Richards received a governor’s proclamation offering the “Key to the State.”

 

Richards, a Connecticut resident since 1985, was honored for his deep commitment to supporting the local community. Through his generosity and dedication to organizations like SPHERE, which enhances the lives of adults with disabilities, and The Prospector Theater, which provides meaningful employment through the magic of film, Richards has used his influence to uplift and empower others.

 

Richards has also been an advocate for arts, education, and accessibility initiatives throughout the state, further exemplifying his dedication to making a lasting impact.

 

“I’ve been inspired by the Rolling Stones for more than 50 years, I hope you have as well,” Governor Lamont said during his address to the assembled crowd. “Keith Richards is an amazing member of our community. We’re so proud that he’s here and I’m so proud to have the opportunity to give him this award of excellence.”

 

Said Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer: “As we celebrate Keith today, we are reminded that libraries are not just places to borrow books; they are agencies for equality, opportunity, creativity, and empowerment. At The Westport Library, we are proud to be an institution that provides free access to knowledge, culture, and creativity for all, just as Keith described. His recognition today is a celebration not only of his music but of the values we hold dear: creativity, authenticity, and the belief that art and culture have the power to change lives.”

 

Approximately 200 invited guests were in attendance, including Psychedelic Furs frontman Richard Butler, Alice Cooper Group bassist Dennis Dunaway, Cramps drummer and Norton Records founder Miriam Linna, SNL Beehive Queen Christine Ohlman, renowned saxophonist Crispin Cioe (Rolling Stones, James Brown), and Paul Butterfield Blues Band keyboardist and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Mark Naftalin. Other notable names for the afternoon were Today show host Craig Melvin, award-winning sports journalist and podcaster Lindsay Czarniak, renowned music producer and audio engineer Rob Fraboni, and acclaimed TV journalist and rock memoirist Alisyn Camerota.

 

Richards is regarded as one of the greatest guitarists in the history of music. His career with the Rolling Stones dates back over seven decades, to the early 1960s, and his songwriting partnership with Stones frontman Mick Jagger is heralded as one of the most successful and prolific in rock history. Among his signature songs are “Jumpin' Jack Flash,” “Satisfaction,” “Ruby Tuesday,” “Start Me Up,” “Happy,” “Miss You,” “Brown Sugar,” “Gimme Shelter,” “Wild Horses,” “It's Only Rock n' Roll (But I Like it),” and “As Tears Go By,” to name a few.

 

Richards has also scored great success as a solo artist, with albums including Talk Is Cheap, Live at the Hollywood Palladium, Main Offender, and Crosseyed Heart, and hits such as “Take It So Hard,” “You Don't Move Me,” “Wicked as It Seems,” and “Eileen.”

 

Onscreen, Richards played a solider in the 1969 film Man on Horseback, himself on The Simpsons in 2002, and appeared in two Pirates of the Caribbean films as Captain Teague, the father of main character Jack Sparrow, who, notably, was loosely based off Richards. In 2015, he released his Netflix documentary, Keith Richards: Under The Influence, which was partially filmed in Connecticut.

 

Richards has also penned two books. He released his memoir Life to critical acclaim in 2010 and later released a children’s book, Gus & Me: The Story of My Granddad and My First Guitar, in 2014. He closed his speech with a thank you to The Westport Library and an ode to libraries everywhere.

 

“This is a great building, a wonderful library, which even I didn’t know the full extent of,” said Richards. “As Bill was saying earlier, without our books, without knowing things, without knowing their special meaning — this isn’t movies, this is not someone drawing you images. This is a book, and you have the movie in your head. It’s very important that we keep our books unburnt.”

 

Story link (with video and photo gallery): https://westportlibrary.org/legendary-rolling-stones-guitarist-keith-richards-honored-by-governor-ned-lamont-at-the-westport-library/

 

Photo credits: Dave Dellinger/Westport Library

 

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About The Westport Library

 

Founded in 1886, built in 1908, and transformed in 2019, The Westport Library is one of the most active and innovative public libraries in the nation, devoted to enriching the intellectual and creative lives of the community. Among its many highlights are a full collection of books for children, teens, and adults; an engaging and colorful Children’s Library; a MakerSpace; a Library of Things; a Seed Library; a robust café and store; and professional art installations that rotate throughout the year. The Westport Library is also home to Verso Studios, replete with an SSL hybrid analog sound studio and broadcast control suite featuring a state-of-the-art console and six robotic cameras, and the Trefz Forum, an open, flexible space that can accommodate up to 600 patrons and features an 18-foot video wall, 35-foot stage, state-of-the-art sound, and theatrical lighting. Situated in the heart of downtown Westport overlooking the scenic Saugatuck River, The Westport Library annually hosts StoryFest, the largest literary festival in Connecticut, and VersoFest, its multi-day music and media festival. Above all, the Library strives to serve the whole community as a vibrant gathering spot where people of all ages come to seek information, gain knowledge, exchange ideas, and share experiences. For more information, visit westportlibrary.org.