The Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards was honored Wednesday as the first recipient of the Connecticut Governor’s Award of Excellence; he was recognized for his “deep commitment to supporting the local community.”
During a ceremony held at The Westport Library, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont called Richards “an amazing member of our community,” adding, “We’re so proud that he’s here and I’m so proud of the opportunity to give him this award of excellence.”
Richards, a Connecticut resident since 1985, thanked the state for recognizing him with the honor, which came with a custom-made medallion and key to the state.
“I’ve been here for 40 years and it’s been a great place for me,” Richards shared. “I brought the kids up here … I said I have to get the kids out of New York City so they could get some fresh air to breathe. So, we moved up here, and ever since we’ve had a great life.”
He added, “I’m incredibly happy about everything, especially things like this, because you don’t get them every day.”
Keith also mentioned the Westport Library, noting, “This is a great building, a wonderful library, which even I didn’t know the full extent of.” He then talked about the importance of books: “It’s very important that we keep our books unburnt.”
The Connecticut Governor’s Award of Excellence is described as “a prestigious new honor celebrating Connecticut residents who epitomize the state’s core values of creativity, resourcefulness, passion, dynamism, and generosity.”
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