Rolling Stones’ legend Keith Richards recognised with new honour … and a library card?

Lock up your libraries!

Keith Richards, the legendary guitarist and co-founder of the incomparable Rolling Stones, has picked up another accolade to add to his extensive collection, even receiving a brand new library card as part of the honour.

The 81 year old British rock icon was honoured with a new award that recognises Connecticut residents for their creativity, passion and generosity at an award ceremony that brought together rock and roll, politics and community service.

Richards has kept a home in the United States since 1985 but moved his family into a colonial mansion in Weston, Connecticut in 1991.

The Rolling Stones legend was awarded the first Connecticut Governor’s Award of Excellence, which celebrates residents who epitomise the state’s core values of “creativity, resourcefulness, passion, dynamism, and generosity.”

First Lady, Ann Lamont presented the award to the Satisfaction guitarist during a ceremony at The Westport Library in Westport, Connecticut.

Richards humbly thanked those around him for the honour as he wore the new award, a custom-designed medallion, around his neck.

“Well, thank you very much. And thank you Connecticut,” he said.

“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.”

Rolling Stones fan and state governor, Ned Lamont, praised Richards for his philanthropy, emphasising the rock star’s support for local organisations that serve people with disabilities including SPHERE, an education, recreation and arts group, and The Prospector Theater, which operates a movie theatre and online popcorn business.

“Keith Richards is an amazing member of our community, and we’re so proud that he’s here,” Mr Lamont said.

“And I’m so proud for the opportunity to give him this award in excellence.”

Governor Lamont also gave the Paint it Black guitarist a new library card and offered him the “Key to the State.”

At the start of his career, Richards was seen as a key figure in the “swinging 60s” and an icon of the counter culture, infamous for his drug use and romantic entanglements.

However, the Rolling Stone guitarist has settled down over the years, enjoying a long marriage with American model Patti Hanson whom he wed in 1983. He has five children and shares two with his current wife Hanson.

In 2022, after 55 years of smoking, he finally quit and said he felt better than ever after the lifestyle change. The musician quit using heroin in 1978 and following a shock accident in 2006, he also gave up cocaine.

-with AP.