For half a century he has been the heart and soul of the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band. A riff master of the highest order, his direct, incisive and catchy licks have energized such timeless rock anthems as "Satisfaction," "Start Me Up," "Brown Sugar," "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Honky Tonk Women." A disciple of such great guitarists and proto-rockers as Scotty Moore, Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters, Keith Richards has forged a personal vocabulary on the instrument that has influenced generations of aspiring rockers. And as the song-writing partner of lifelong friend and frequent foe Mick Jagger, he formed an indelible team that has secured a spot in the Songwriters' Hall of Fame. The personal life of this larger-than-life rock star and bona fide guitar hero has been plagued by heroin addiction and excessive recreational drug use, which transformed his one-time baby face into a grizzled visage that bears the scars of a road warrior's life. And yet, he is still here. The ultimate rock 'n' roll survivor, Keith Richards is still rocking and rolling after all these years. AUTHOR: Bill Milkowski is a New York-based freelance writer who has contributed to several publications since the 1970s, including Down Beat, Jazz Times, Jazziz, Bass Player, Guitar Player, Modern Drummer, Absolute Sound, Jazzthing (Germany), Guitar Club (Italy) and Guitar (Japan). He is also the author of JACO: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius, Swing It! An Annotated History of Jive, Rockers, Jazzbos sVisionaries, and Legends of Jazz (Edizioni White Star, 2010). Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he began his career in music journalism, Milkowski relocated to New York City in 1980. He moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1993, returning to New York in 1997 and settling in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan, where he currently lives. Milkowski was named Writer of the Year in 2004 by the Jazz Journalists Association. An avid guitar hobbyist, he is also the proud father of a 16-year-old daughter, Sophia Vincenza Milkowski. ILLUSTRATIONS: 140 colour photographs
