Richards was born in Dartford, Kent on 18th December 1943. He met Mick Jagger when he was at primary school. But when they went into secondary schools they lost touch. But one day in 1960 they accidentally met on a train and talked about starting up a group. From 1960-1962 the Rolling Stones were formed. It compromised on Mick Jagger on lead vocal and harmonica Keith on guitar, Bill Wyman on bass, 'Charlie Watts' on drums and 'Brian Jones' on guitar. In 1964 they released their first album "The Rolling Stones". Eventually in 1965 they had their first number 1 hit in the UK with "The Last Time". Throughout 1966-1969 they toured the world with many great hits like "Satisfaction" (1965), "Lets Spend the night together" (1967), "Sympathy for the Devil" (1968) and "Honky tonk woman" (1969). After this, though, Brian Jones committed suicide and Mick Taylor took his place. In fact Mick and Keith were both blamed at the time for Brain's death. But all was not lost. In 1971 they released "Sticky Fingers", which apart from 1968's "Beggars Banquet", was the most popular album they ever made. From this the tunes "Wild Horses" and "Brown Sugar" were released and were very popular all over the world. Throughout the 70s the group made thousands of live performances and endless record sales with hits like "Angie" (1973), "It's Only Rock and Roll" (1974), "Hot Stuff" (1976) and "Respectable" (1978). Keith even released his own single as well. In 1974 Ron Wood had replaced Mick Taylor on guitar and Keith and Ron both played lead guitar. During the decade Keith had a lot of family crisis on his hands but it didn't stop him enjoying himself. In 1980 the group released "Emotional Rescue" which Keith Richards didn't care for. The group didn't even tour to promote it. But in 1981 Tattoo You was released and the group went on a major world tour filling stadiums in the US and arenas in Europe. In 1983 the Stones recorded the album "Undercover" at the Compass Point in Nassau and during this time Mick and Keith were having arguments over rights of the group. In 1987/88 Keith Richards recorded his first solo album "Main Offender" which got him back on the road. But during the tour he only sang a few Stones tunes. At this point it looked as if the Stones had gone forever. But in January 1989 Mick and Keith got together in Barbados and made up their differences and started to write tunes for the album Steel Wheels. After the Stones recorded it they went back on the road. The first time in 7 years. But in 1992 Bill Wyman announced that he was going to leave the group. In 1993 Keith Richards and his band released an album and toured for a while. In 1994 the Stones got back together again and recorded the album "Voodoo Lounge" and toured the world extensively. In 1995 an album of their warm up gig in a pub in Denmark was released. It was an acoustic live album called "Stripped". In 1996 their tour came to an end. But in 1997 they released the album "Bridges to Babylon" and started a 2 years tour. In 1998 a live album "No Security" was released. In 1999 the tour ended and the group hasn't performed together until this day (January 2002).
Children, with Hansen, Theodora and Alexandra Guitarist for The 'Rolling Stones' Three children with former partner Anita Pallenberg: son Marlon, daughter Angela (Dandelion), and son Tara (deceased). 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. 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. Was voted the 10th greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine. 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). Johnny Depp has said that the character of Capt. Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" is mostly based on Keith Richards, including his voice, his mannerisms, his personality, and aspects of his appearance. Accompanies Aretha Frankin 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. 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. "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 two children (although one of them died just three weeks after birth). 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." Same birthday as Brad Pitt, Casper Van Dien and Steven Spielberg. 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) Is portrayed by Ben Whishaw in Stoned and by Claude Duhamel in The Linda McCartney Story. He allegedly declined the C.B.E. (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to music.