Trivia

In the 1970's, he was once awake for nine days straight (with the assistance of various drugs). When he finally fell asleep, while standing up, he fell face-down into an amplifier, breaking his nose.

Johnny Depp has said that the character of Capt. Jack Sparrow in Pirates des Caraïbes : La Malédiction du Black Pearl (2003) is mostly based on Keith Richards, including his voice, his mannerisms, his personality, and aspects of his appearance. Keith would eventually play Jack Sparrow's father, Captain Teague, in the second 'Pirates' sequel Pirates des Caraïbes : Jusqu'au bout du monde (2007).

Is an avid reader with a strong interest in History. He owns an extensive library.

Guitarist for The Rolling Stones. He takes about sixty guitars on each concert tour, including his favorite Fender and Gibson guitars.

Owns one of the best and largest private collections of musical instruments including about a thousand guitars of various makes, of which he uses about sixty on each concert tour.

Good friends with Johnny Depp.

He has worn a skull ring on the third finger of his right hand since the early 1970's, reminding himself "that we are all the same beneath the surface."

Is the former neighbor, classmate and current best friend of Mick Jagger, who co-founded The Rolling Stones, alongside him.

According to himself, he wrote the Rolling Stones' biggest hit "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" 'while sleeping'. He has stated that he went to bed with a tape recorder on the bedside table, and when he woke up the the tape was full with mumbling and half-singing, mixed up some snoring. True or false as this may be, it is widely thought that he did write the music and the legendary chorus by himself (Jagger likely only contributing the verse lyrics).

Was voted the 10th greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 (as a member of The Rolling Stones).

Was ordered to play a series of benefit concerts for the blind after a widely publicized drug arrest in Toronto in 1977. For these shows he assembled a band called The New Barbarians which included himself, fellow Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood, Stones saxophonist Bobby Keys, jazz bassist Stanley Clarke and Meters drummer Ziggy Modeliste. The Rolling Stones wound up playing the dates, as well.

He allegedly declined the C.B.E. (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to music.

Accompanies Aretha Franklin on guitar in the theme song of the same titled movie Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986), a remake of his own hit of the 60s with The Rolling Stones, which he also composed. Earlier in the film, the original song appears as well.

"Stole" former Stones member Brian Jones girlfriend Anita Pallenberg during a vacation in Morocco in the late '60s. Keith and Anita's love affair was no short crush, however, seeing as how they stayed together for roughly ten years and had three children (although one of them died just three weeks after birth).

Has a granddaughter named Ella Rose Richards (Marlon's daughter with wife Lucie).

Is no fan of digital recordings saying that, ". . . when it comes to sound, the ones and the zeros don't quite make it".

Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1993.

Children, with Patti Hansen, daughters Theodora Richards and Alexandra Richards.

In an article in New Musical Express (NME) he appeared to say that he had snorted his late father's ashes in a line of cocaine: "He was cremated and I couldn't resist grinding him up with a little bit of blow." He later retracted the comment, saying that the story was "lost in translation".

Resides in Sussex, England and Weston, Connecticut.

The 2009 Sunday Times List estimated his net worth at $287 million.

In 1965 he bought a Bentley S3 Continental Flying Spur (JLP 400D) that he named "Blue Lena" after one of his favorite American singers Lena Horne.

Three children with former partner Anita Pallenberg: son Marlon (named after Marlon Brando), daughter Angela (Dandelion) and son Tara (deceased).

Hospitalized for a mild concussion he suffered while vacationing in Fiji, reportedly after falling out of a palm tree. Richards was flown to a New Zealand hospital for treatment, band spokeswoman Fran Curtis said in a statement. "Following treatment locally and as a precautionary measure, he flew to a hospital accompanied by his wife, Patti, for observation," Curtis said. (April 2006)

Release of his memoirs, "Life" by Keith with James Fox. (2010)

Was a close friend of country legend Gram Parsons and has referenced to his early death due to drug abuse in one of the songs he's written for the Stones; "Booze and pills and powders, you can choose your medicine/Well it's another goodbye to another good friend" ("Before They Make Me Run", from 1978's "Some Girls"). He also played two tribute gigs to Parsons alongside Norah Jones and others in the summer of 2004.

Favorite cover of his and Mick Jagger's "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" was by Otis Redding, and Keith liked it even more than the original Stones version.

Stephen King is a big fan of Richards and claimed he could never play as well as him, no matter how hard he tried.