Happy Birthday to Keith Richards, the Ageless Rolling Stones Guitarist Who’s Actually 77!

This post originally ran on Dec. 18, 2019 to mark Keith Richards’ 76th birthday … another year older deserves another toast!

There’s an old adage around the internet — however “old” anything on the internet can possibly be, at least — that asks a simple question: What type of world will we be leaving behind for Keith Richards?

A send-up of the actual valid question of what type of world will future generations inhabit in our wake, it’s also an amusing reference to the legendary Rolling Stones guitarist, who celebrates his 77th birthday on Friday. It’s also his wedding anniversary with Patti Hansen, too!

A Happy Anniversary, baby! @PattiHansen Love, Keith    
Photo @annieleibovitz pic.twitter.com/AWWrTaa5mb

— Keith Richards (@officialKeef) December 18, 2020

The man affectionately known as “Keef” has earned his status as one of the most revered guitarists to ever pick up the instrument. His contributions to the Rolling Stones’ untouchable body of work is indisputable, his effortlessly cool demeanor and way of going about his business — at least publicly, of course — the stuff of legend.

At the Stones’ 2019 tour stop at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Richards glided around the stage like a man decades his junior. As did Mick Jagger, who is also 77 after a birthday of his own back in July.

Twitter users who opened the social media app on Wednesday morning noticed “Keith Richards” trending, and as anybody who’s on Twitter on a daily basis knows, this can be a scary feeling. Seeing a major celebrity’s name trending usually means one of three things. A, the celebrity has passed away. B, the celebrity is in hot water over something he or she did or said, or C, it’s that celebrity’s birthday.

Thankfully in this case, it’s Keith Richards’ birthday — an excuse for music fans the world over to pay tribute to the man who’s transcended his role as “guitarist in one of the biggest bands of all time” to become an entity all his own, forever.

Happy birthday, Keef!