Keith Richards is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, best-selling memoirist, and founding member of the rock band The Rolling Stones. Richards was born 18 December 1943 at Livingston Hospital, in Dartford, Kent, England. He is the only child of Doris M. L. (née Dupree) and Herbert W. Richards. His father was a factory worker who was injured in World War II during the Normandy invasion.
The Rolling Stones made the British charts in 1964 and over the ensuing years became a huge worldwide phenomenon with major hits such as "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "Angie" and "Miss You," along with albums like Out of Our Heads, Sticky Fingers, Some Girls and Tattoo You. In 2010 Richards published his autobiography, Life.
Richards has released few solo recordings. His first solo single released in 1978 was versions of Chuck Berry's "Run Rudolph Run" and Jimmy Cliff's "The Harder They Come". In 1987, after Jagger pursued a solo recording and touring career, Richards formed the "X-pensive Winos" with co-songwriter and co-producer Steve Jordan, whom Richards assembled for his Chuck Berry documentary Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll.
Rolling Stone Magazine credited Richards for "rock's greatest single body of riffs" on guitar and ranked him 4th on its list of 100 best guitarists.