Photos courtesy of Dave Dellinger/Westport Library
WESTPORT – A guy named Ned from Greenwich got to live out one of his boyhood dreams at the Westport Library Wednesday as he met his rock idol Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones and even get to give him an award.
Of course, “Ned” is Gov. Ned Lamont and the award was the inaugural Governor’s Award of Excellence. In front of 200 guests that included such luminaries as Psychedelic Furs front man Richard Butler, Alice Cooper Group bassist Dennis Dunaway, 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, Lamont honored Richards.
See video of Keith Richards comments at the ceremony
“I’d like to say thank you to you all, and thank you to the state of Connecticut,” Weston resident 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 governor got to play DJ, of sorts, as during a comical speech he cited three big Stones’ hits – “Gimme Shelter,” “Start Me Up,” and “You can’t always get what you want.” The last song was an answer to the General Assembly members about legislation they want passed in the 2025 session.
“I’ve been inspired by the Rolling Stones for more than 50 years, I hope you have as well,” Lamont said in addressing the 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.”
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.
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 Weston 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.
“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,” said Bill Harmer, Westport Library executive director. “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.”
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 front man 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.”
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,” Richards said after receiving an honorary library card from Harmer. “As Bill (Harmer) 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.”
